Infinite
by Wraith002
Summary: Through a series of unfortunate and bizarre events, Reece Vega has found himself in a world beyond comprehension. In a city with danger around every turn, sent on a mission to save someone he had never met by people who are more cryptic with each meeting. In the end, he'll need all of his skills and luck to survive if he hopes to ever see his home again. (Back by popular demand!)
1. A Man and a Lighthouse

**A/N: It has been a long time, but I'm finally ready to repost this story back onto the site. I had to take it down the last time to make a few changes and add a couple of things here and there, I didn't want to take it down, considering the sheer number of fellow authors out there that had managed to make their own based off of it, but it's about time for it to make a come back.**

 **And for those that have just recently started following me, if you're a fan of Bioshock, you're gonna get your fill through this. It's one of my original works, and I hope you get a good kick from it like I did when writing it a while back.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Bioshock.**

 _ **We're all given choices in life. Small, large, no matter what the scale they impact our lives in a multitude of ways we could never have imagined.**_

 _ **They are what defines us. As a species, and as individuals. Everything we do from birth to death maps our destiny, forming who we are and who we will become.**_

 _ **Not all choices are easy. Hell, hardly any of them are in some ways. But in the end, the results ultimately depend on what we decide depending on our morals, and what is in our hearts and minds.**_

 _ **To do what is good...or be selfish.**_

 _ **It is in our nature to ensure self-preservation and survival no matter what. But there are some who always put the needs of others before themselves, even if it costs them something in return. It is those people who truly know the meaning of being good and just.**_

 _ **In the end, what we do effects everything around us. But when your put into a situation where things have spiraled so out of control that the fabric of space and time itself depends on your next action?...That's when you have to step back and think, 'what the hell did I do to get here?'**_

 _ **That's what was going through my head at the moment. Standing in a city that floated above the clouds, a 21st century guy in the early 1900's wielding powers that only existed in video games or comic books. Facing an opposition that was more than what I was trained to handle.**_

 _ **But I had no choice. If I ever wanted to get back home, back to my life, I could not fail. I didn't have the luxary of walking away, I was in too deep the minute I stepped into that damn lighthouse after I woke up almost three days ago.**_

 _ **Despite that, I followed my gut and did what I knew in my heart was right...and here I stand. On a damaged airship thousands of feet in the air, escape blocked off as a squad of armed men moved in to take me down.**_

 _ **My charge and partner behind me, her body rigid as she prepared to help me fend them off for our final stand. She'd been there since the beginning, the two of us relying on one another to make it through. And there was no way in hell I was going to let them get too close to her.**_

 _ **Through the crowd, a large man in a mechanical suit stomped toward us. The only thing recognizable about him was his head and the still beating heart encased in a glass sphere in the center of his chest. An animalistic growl coming from his throat as he raised the massive fists and slammed them hard enough on to the deck to shake the entire ship.**_

 _ **I clutched the old-school shotgun in my right hand as I summoned a cluster of burning stone to my left. There was no way in Heaven or Hell these assholes were going to stop me. Too much was riding on it and I couldn't afford to fail now.**_

 _ **We were going to end this...here and now!**_

X 3 Days Prior X

The sound of water crashing against a shoreline echoed through the air. Waves lapping against jagged rocks surrounding a small island in the middle of the ocean. In the center of said island was a large lighthouse that stood tall, a beacon in the middle of nowhere that stood out.

As the water continued to splash, the body of a young man washed up on to one of the flat rocks and laid sprawled out and motionless on the cold stone.

He was roughly 6'1'' in height wearing denim jeans, steel toe black boots, and a black Burton Snowboards t-shirt under a grey hoodie and a denim jacket. His dirty blonde hair matted to his head from his time in the water.

Moments passed, then the teen began coughing violently. Shuttering as sea water came out of his lungs and spewed out his mouth on to the rock under him. This kept going for several minutes before he was finally able to breath normally again; rolling over on to his back as he took in deep breaths of air. His dark green eyes looking up at the darkened sky above him.

"...W-What... _cough, cough_...Whe-Where the hell..." he sputtered as he tried to fight down the burning in his lungs.

Slowly, he pushed himself up into a sitting postion and looked around where he was. Seeing nothing but ocean in all directions on the small island. Looking around the island itself, all he saw was a small dock and boat house that lead to a set of stairs that lead up to the large lighthouse that dominated the cluster of rocks.

Confused, disoriented, and with the burn still overpowering his chest, the teen staggered to his feet and treaded toward the path that lead to the building. If there was a lighthouse, then there had to be someone here running the place that could help him.

Stumbling every few steps, he made it to the large wood doors that lead inside. Raising his fist, he weakly pounding on the doors. "He-Hello!" he shouted before he began coughing again. "Is anyone there!" he said when he got his breath back under control.

Recieving no answer, the teen pushed on the door and saw that it was unlocked. Looking back at where he had woken up and seeing no one else around, the darkened skies lit up in the distance from a storm that was coming his way. Shaking his head, he muttered "Fuck it." before pushing the door open a little wider and slipped inside.

The lighthouses interior wasn't what you would expect in any lighthouse on the mainland. The room beyond the front door had wood floors and a warm atmosphere that felt almost welcoming.

Right in front of the door under the central pillar of the tower, a small table was set up with a water basin with a lit candle on the right side and a couple of white wash cloths on the left. A frame hung above the table with a sign made of cloth and stitching that read _**'Of Thy Sins, Shall I Wash Thee'**_ **.**

Shutting the door behind him, the teen treaded toward the table and looked into the basin at his pale and disheveled expression. Looking up at the sign he shook his head, "I don't have any sins to speak of...but my throat feels like the devil tried to rip it out."

Making a cross sign on his chest and shoulders in respect for the one that ran the lighthouse. He dipped his hands into the basin, using them as a cup to bring water to his parched lips.

His dry and ravaged throat soothed from the cool liquid as he brought up another double handful and gulped it down. Repeating this action a couple more times before sitting down on the floor with his back to the table, the candle's glow casting over his still wet and cold form.

"How the hell did I get here?" he whispered while leaning his head back against the solid wood behind him. Exhaustion starting to take him from his ordeal as he slipped into unconsiousness.

 _X_

 _Reece Vega had been living a pretty average life. He grew up in Rhoad Island, his mother was an accountant for a small law firm, his dad was a doctor at the local hospital. He was the eldest in his family with two little sisters. One was now 16 and had just gotten her license, the other 9 and clung to him whenever he was in the room._

 _He went through highschool with the dreams of becoming a successful auto mechanic and was ready to go to college for it. His family respected his choices and saw real potential in him on the subject. Reecewas able to repair, reconstruct, and change anything on the family cars and read every auto manual from cover to cover like most would read a comic book._

 _Going through highschool, Reece had also indulged in video games like the rest of his friends. Though he wasn't as much into them like the others, he enjoyed the first person shooters and a couple RPGs from time to time when he was bored or had nothing better to do._

 _Aside from his gaming hobby outside of his auto engineering studies, Reece had also taken up MMA as a form of stress release and a way to stay in shape. One of the people that had been at the gym saw that he had a knack for the sport and started couching him every Wednesday and Sunday a week._

 _His skills in Mixed Martial Arts were above average, so much so that when a couple of his friends got into a bar fight he put an end to it after putting one guy through a table and knocking another one out cold with what he had learned. No one had the guts to get into a fight with him after that._

 _At 19 years old, he had been attending college in Maine when spring break finally rolled around. And it was a round the time where his family was having a get together to celebrate the news that his mother was pregnant again. Reece was excited about the news and was on the road to home two days after his last class ended before vacation._

 _"I should be there in about a day mom." he said on his IPhone as he drove his 4X4 down a winding road that had a nice view of the Atlantic Ocean on his left._

"Just becareful, okay? Don't force yourself to keep going if you get tired." _replied his mother reminding Reece just how worried and over protective she was._

 _Rolling his eyes, Reece chuckled. "Everything will be fine, mom. Let the girls know I'll be home soon." hanging up, he slipped the phone into his pocket as he went back to focusing on the road. He was more than happy to be with everyone again, ever since he broke up with his ex-girlfriend a few months prior being home surrounded by familiar faces was what he needed._

 _Rounding another corner in the road, the teen was met with the bright headlights of an eighteen wheeler drifting over to his side of the road with its horn blaring. "SHIT!" Reece shouted spinning the wheel and swirving around the larger truck as it flew past._

 _But in doing this he found himself in the path of a jeep coming his way in the opposing lane. The teen twisted the wheel back to the right in time to miss a head-on collision; however, a loud crunch was heard as the jeep collided with the back end of his truck sending him into a spin._

 _Gritting his teeth, Reece tried to regain control but was jarred when the 4X4 went through the guard-rail that seperated the road from the ocaen and found himself airborne._

 _Everything seemed to slow to a crawl as the truck and its driver began to free fall. Hitting the dark waters hard and causing him to smack his head hard enough against the steering that he saw stars._

 _The pain in his head was nearly forgotten when the ice cold salt water got into the truck and sent a shock into his system._

 _Trying to stay calm, despite the life/death situation he now found himself in, he made quick work of undoing his seat belt as the inside of the vehicle began to fill up fast. After getting the safety restraint off, he pressed his back to the driverside door and slammed his booted feet against the passanger window several times before it shattered._

 _By that point, the 4X4 slipped beneath the lapping waves of the Atlantic. Reece managed to get what breath of air he could before going under water and working his way out of the sinking vehicle._

 _It was a rough fit for his large frame through the shattered window. But he managed and found himself in open water kicking as hard as he could for the surface. That alone was a challenge since his boots were steel toe and were weighing him down._

 _With a lot of excertion, the teen breached the surface of the water gulping in air as the waves knocked him around._ 'Have to make it to shore!' _he screamed in his thoughts as he began to fight against the pull of the ocean toward the slope that lead back up to the road._

 _Even with his boots and his soaked clothes weighing him down, Reece began to make his way back to land. But the waves were getting choppier by the second, a storm must have been coming because the salt water was churning like crazy._

 _A good sized wave knocked him off course and forced him to lose focus just as another slammed down on top of him sending him back under._

 _Barely any air in his lungs, the teen kicked with everything he had to get back to the surface. But the current kept pulling him back down, and with each kick be began losing more and more strength. His chest burned with the urge to breathe in as he kept his mouth clamped firmly shut to keep what oxygen he had left inside._

 _By sheer luck he breached the surface again and sucked in air...only for another good sized wave to crash on to him, forcing water down his throat in mid-breath causing crippling pain to shoot through his form._

 _Reece coughed unconciously, but since he was already under water he ended up sucking in more making the pain beyond excruciating. His vision started to blur and darken as what strength he had left began leaving him like a large hole in a fuel-line. Eventually his struggles began to fade as well as his body began to sink into the dark depths._

'This...can't be how it ends...' _he thought trying to will his body to react, but it was as if it was out of his control. His form was nothing more than dead weight._

 _Darkness surrounded his vision and began closing in. Thoughts of his family, his friends, and the life he had flashed before his eyes as he began to lose conciousness._ '...I...I love you all...I'm sorry...' _he thought sadly as his eyes slid closed._

 _Before his fell into the embrace of oblivion, the teen saw something glowing in the water around him before everything went dark._

 _X_

Reece's green eyes snapped open and he gasped as the memories of how he had gotten there came back to him.

Looking around, he found himself in the lighthouses bottom level where he had sat to rest. The candle on the table behind him had burned down to nothing and was put out plunging the room into darkness save for the light coming from the stairs leading to the next floor. The sounds of rain and thunder resounding from outside along with waves crashing hard on the rocks surrounding the small island signalling the arrival of a big storm.

Rubbing his face, the teen breathed deeply before remembering something. "My phone!" he reached into the inside pocket of his denim jacket and sighed in relief when he pulled out his IPhone.

Doing quick check, he was glad to see the 'life-proof' case protecting the device had held leaving it dry on the inside. He took out the cell and switched it on, unlocking the lock screen as he prepared to make a call.

However, the words **'No Service'** was displayed at the top of the screen. "Of course." Reece muttered. He was in the middle of nowhere in the Atlantic Ocean on some small island, the chances of having a signal to make a phone call was pretty slim.

"Hope someone's home. They'll probably have a radio or something." he said outloud getting to his feet. Activating the LED app on his phone so that he could see better as he went to make his way toward the stairs.

Another sign similar to the one hanging above the water basin was on the wall next to the stairwell. This one reading _**'From Sodom, Shall I Lead Thee'**_. "How come I get the feeling that whoever runs this place is a serious religious fanatic." Reece said to himself as he made his way up the metal steps slowly.

Reaching the landing, he was surprised to see a large room taking up the whole floor. Tables, desks, a large sink, a bed, and several crates were stacked up along one of the walls with a couple lamps on the walls above illuminating everything.

"Hello? Anyone home?" he called out. Seconds passed and no response came. Keeping alert, Reece stepped into the room and began to look around.

It was really odd. He'd been in quite a few lighthouses in his life and none of them looked like this on the inside. Approaching a nearby desk he was a little surprised to see a typewriter and a really old phone similar to the one he had seen in his grandparent's attic from when he was younger.

Picking up the old phone that looked almost brand new, he pulled the reciever from the base and pressed it to his ear. "Hello?" he tapped the cradle down a few times but nothing came through. "Weird. You'd think this place would be equipped with better equipment instead of antiques." he said putting the phone back on the desk and moving around the rest of the room.

Everything around the room looked like it should have been in an antique store. But it all looked brand new. Reece found himself playing with an old radio that was as big as a small bookshelf and was reminded of a similar one his grandmother liked to turn on every so often.

Shaking his head he turned around only for something on the bed to catch his eye. A stained, oakwood box sat in the center of the mattress looking out of place. Curious, he picked the box up and looked it over. Seeing a shiny brass name plate on the lid, Reece's eyes widened when he saw what was written.

In perfectly inscripted calligraphy...was his name.

A chill went up his spine. Why the hell would there be something in this lighthouse with his name on it? He just washed up on shore not too long ago. How was this possible?

Swallowing the lump in his throat, the teen lifted the lid on the box and looked at the contents. Inside were several things. Under the lid two papers were taped, one looked like a postcard with a golden statue of an angel with her arms outstretched. The one next to it was a blankn paper with symbols and numbers written; from left to right, ther was an open scroll with X1 next to it, a key with X2 next to it, and a saber facing blade-down with X2 next to it.

Ignoring that for the moment, he looked at the rest of the box and was shocked to see an old fashioned Red-9 pistol with two clips of ammunition. Removing the gun, Reece tested its weight in his hand before setting it on the bed with the ammo and went back to the box.

Under the pistol was and iron key. Picking it up, the teen looked it over with careful eyes. There was nothing special about the key other than the pictures on the handle, one side depicting an empty bird cage, the other had a bird flying free.

Setting the key with the gun he picked up then next item which was a black and white picture of a beautiful young woman that looked around his age wearing a white blouse and a long skirt. The name _**'Elizabeth'**_ was written at the top making him raise an eyebrow.

Flipping the picture over, Reece narrowed his eyes seeing words scrawled on to the back. _**'Find her, protect her.'**_ shrugging, he set the photo aside and picked up a small leather bag that had been next to it.

Inside the bag was a large handful of silver coins that looked to be about a dollar a piece, equaling out to about $75 total.

Looking at the items spread out on the bed, Reece was still beyond confused. "What the fuck is all of this?" he said outloud. Looking back into the box for some kind of clue, he found something he missed.

A large piece of paper folded at the bottom that fit the edges of the container so well he thought it was the bottom. Taking it out, the teen unfolded it and saw that it was a note.

 _ **\- Mr. Vega**_

 _ **We can assume that you are very confused with the situation that you now find yourself in. But rest assured, your presense here was no accident. You have nothing to be afraid of. However, what you will experience from this point onward will seem strange, and in some cases very dangerous. Just do what comes naturally and you will survive. Or you will die. Both possibilities are very likely with what you are about to face.**_

 _ **Your task is a rather simple one. Find the girl in the photograph. Help her in anyway you can. Do this, and you will find yourself back with your family where you belong.**_

 _ **Welcome to Columbia**_

 _ **Sincerely,**_

 _ **\- R & R Lutece**_

Reece felt his blood run cold. The letter slipped from his limp grasp and drifted to the floor as the full force of what he had read hit him. A barrage of questions coming to mind.

Who were these people? How did they know him? Did they bring him here? Why? How? And what did the girl in the photo have to do with it?

Speaking of which, he picked up the photo and looked at the girl again. What should he do? What _could_ he do? He was stranded far away from shore with no way of contacting the mainland. And from the letter he had read, people were _watching_ him in some way.

As his thoughts slowly settled he let out a slow breath. His eyes hardening as he came to a decision.

Taking the photo, the postcard, the paper with the symbols and the key, Reece slipped them into his back pocket as he picked up the gun. It wasn't like what his grandfather had talked about and shown him from his time fighting in WWII, but the mechanics were still the same regardless.

Testing the sights and checking to make sure that the grip was right, the teen slipped the weapon into the inside pocket of his jacket with the spare ammo. Also taking the bag of silver coins and putting it into the pocket of his hoodie.

If finding this girl and helping her got him back to his family quickly, then he would do it. He didn't like it, and he doubted that he could trust the word of complete strangers who seemed to have known where he was going to be and what was going to happen to him.

But what other choice did he have other than the obvious?

Looking toward the other side of the room, Reece began toward the next flight of stairs with a little more meaning in his steps. "Why do I have the feeling I'm not going to like any of this?" he wondered stepping over an overturned table and broken plates on the floor as he acended the next set of stairs.

As he went up, he started to notice red handprints on the wall and handrails. Taking out his new pistol, he pulled the slide back to chamber a round as he moved more carefully to the next floor.

At the top of the steps, a bookshelf and several books were scattered everywhere like someone had thrown it across the room. Keeping to the shadows, Reece kept the pistol aimed forward as he reached the landing.

The sight before him made bile rise in his throat.

A lone light shined down on a man tied to a chair with a burlap bag over his head. Blood pooling on the floor under him and running toward the stairs and several splatters on the wall behind him.

Swallowing hard, the teen slowly treaded forward. Boots tip-toeing around the blood on the floor as he drew closer to get a better look. There was a bloody hole in the center of the man's head, several large cuts lined his arms and torso. Judging by the bloody instruments on the nearby stool and table, Reece could safely tell that the man had been tortured before beind executed.

"Son of a bitch..." he whispered looking at the dead man sadly. His eyes moved down and saw a piece of paper pinned to the mans shirt. The same writing that had been on the letter he read stated, _**'Be warned. Things may get worse.'**_

Gritting his teeth and shaking his head, Reece turned from the corpse and saw another flight of stairs and fast-walked toward them.

The farther up he went, the teen noticed that he was nearing the top of the lighthouse and was now outside. The storm was now going strong, lightning and thunder clapped in the distance as heavy raindrops struck the tower's frame making it hard to hear anything else.

Pistol still in hand, Reece reached the top of the lighthouse and stopped to see a door on his left leading into where the spot light of the tower was located.

In the center of the door was a angel with her arms open, three bells where lined in front with symbols carved into them.

Looking the door over, Reece realized that the symbols on the bells were familiar. "Wait a second..." he pulled out the paper that was in the box from before with the same markings written on it. "It...looks like some kind of password." he said looking between the two.

Giving one last look at the paper, he flipped the pistol around so that he was holding it by the barrel like a hammer. Taking a deep breath, he rapped the handle of the weapon against the bell with the open scroll first. Going to the middle bell, the one with the key, he struck it twice. Moving to the last bell, he hit it twice like the one before and waited.

At first nothing happen...then the skies lit up bright red and let out a loud horn that drowned out the sound of the storm.

Reece spun around and looked up at the sky as more loud horns resounded throught the air. "What the fuck!?" he shouted pressing his back to the window next to the bells.

The red glow and bellowing stopped, the light on top of the lighthouse then started flashing. Once, twice, then twice again. Just like the combination he had used on the bells.

A second later the sky lit up bright red again and the horn from before bellowed again in a similiar fashion. The teen was suddently reminded of a game his friend had been playing back before he left for home, it was a series he had gotten into himself. Mass Effect.

"If a damn Reaper comes down out of those clouds I'm seriously fucked." Reece said gripping his pistol as the bellowing came to a slow end.

Mechanics within the lighthouse started churning. The large light in the center opened up and slide up allowing the floor to flip over to reveal a red barbers chair where it had been set up. The bells lowered and the section of wall swung inside revealing that it had been a door the whole time.

Stepping in slowly out of the rain, Reece walked around the chair and saw nothing really special about it. It was just a chair with head, arm and foot rests. _'Am I suppose to just sit in it?'_ he thought oddly to himself. _'A lot of strange shit has happened today...why the hell not.'_

Putting the pistol back inside his jacket. He zipped it up and made sure that everything was secured on himself before settling down on the comfortable seat. "Huh, this isn't so bad. I was expecting-" restraints on the arm rests snapped shut around his wrists. "WHAT THE HELL!" he shouted and began to struggle as more restraints snapped shut along his torso and his feet to keep him in place.

 **"Make yourself ready, pilgrim. The bindings are there as a safeguard."** spoke a voice from surrounding loud speakers as several small walls came out of the floor surrounding the chair before coming together and sealing shut tightly like a vertical metal coffin.

The floor suddenly dropped open leaving the teen suspended above turning gears and what looked like rockets that were beginning to kick on. "Fuck me! Fuck me! FUCK ME!" Reece shouted as the boosters began to power up.

 **"Ascension...Ascension in the count of FIVE...count down of FOUR..."** The chair righted itself back to its original position as the whole lighthouse started to shake. **"THREE...TWO..."**

Reece gripped the arm rests to the point his knuckles turned white. Eyes clenched shut as the voice continued counting down. **"ONE..."** The 'pod' was launched from the top of the lighthouse and was shot into the sky. "Ooooooohhhhh SHIIIIIIIIT!" the teen grunted as the force of the launch pressed him into the velvet cushions.

 **"Ascension...Ascension..."** Reece took several deep breaths to calm his nerves before opening his eyes to see the clouds outside slipping by. **"Five-Thousand Feet...Ten-Thousand Feet..."** _"Deep breaths Reece. Just like riding a roller coaster or flying on a plane. It's gotta take me somewhere..."_ he thought to himself as the pod continued to rise higher and higher.

 **"Fifteen-Thousand Feet..."** the pod broke through the clouds, blinding the teen as the sun was suddently revealed. When the light died down a little, he looked out the porthole in front of him and felt his jaw drop.

Outside...was a city...FLOATING IN THE SKY!

"Oh...my god..." he said in complete awe. Forgetting everything that had happened up to that point. It was beautiful. Each cluster of buildings seemed to be connected by a railway and gondala system along with several bridges. Airships and blimps drifted around the 'islands' as they hovered above the clouds thanks to a system of gets and fortified balloons.

The 21st century teen was struck speechless. How was this even possible? The US government or even the damn UN would have mentioned something to the world about a city the size of Manhattan floating in the damn sky above them all!

The pod continued to move amongst the buildings. One of them floated by showing a large poster depicting a man with shoulder length white hair and beard with _**'Father Comstock. Our Prophet'**_ displayed proudly on it.

Not a few seconds later the pod perched on top of a building and slowly lowered inside once the thrusters deactivated. Passing scaffoldings with words written in gold on them.

 _ **'Why Would He Send His Savior Unto Us.'**_

 _ **'If We Will Not Raise A Finger For Our Own Salvation?'**_

 _ **'And Though We Deserved Not His Mercy.'**_

 _ **'He Has Led Us To This New Eden.'**_

 _ **'A Last Chance For Redemption.'**_

Reading each statement, Reece couldn't help but wonder what kind of world he now found himself in. As the pod continued to lower a large stained glass image was shown with the sun shining through it. The image of the same man he saw on the large poster before was standing tall with people surrounding him in prayer with a banner above him saying. _**'And The Prophet Shall Lead The People To The New Eden.'**_

Everything came to a stop. The front wall of the pod hissed and slowly opened to the inside of what looked like a church. The restraints all opened allowing Reece to roll and flex his wrists before pulling himself out of the chair.

Staggering a little from the vertigo as he pulled himself out of the chamber and into ankle deep water that covered the whole floor. Looking up at the mural before him of the religious leader that people obviously worshipped for a moment, Reece pulled out the picture of the girl he had been 'asked' to find.

"Well...I'm not going to find her just standing here. And if I wanna get back home, I better get started." he said to himself before putting the photo away and sloshing his way toward the nearby archway leading farther into the church.

Completely unaware that the decisions that he was soon to make would alter the way the world worked. Not knowing that he was in a different time and place than where he had been before.

A time and place that would test his strength, his will, and his very soul.

 **A/N: Nothing much has changed except for the name, but there will be some in the future. And the spelling a grammar errors that plagued it before have also been amended thankfully.**

 **If I managed to capture you're attention then stick around, there's gonna be a lot of action, suspense and then some. If you know my writing, then you can expect one hell of a ride.**


	2. Welcome to Columbia

**A/N: Good to see that this story still has some good merit to it, and that readers out there are willing to give it a chance. Given that I never deleted the old chapters, I'll be able to update this story at an alarming rate since all I need to do is repost them after making the proper changes to them. But for now, chapter two is ready ago once again.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Bioshock.**

Reece wasn't an overly religious person. His mother was raised in a catholic family, and his grandparents on his dad's side were christian and jewish. Both of them gave him and his sisters the choice to believe whatever they wanted.

But looking around the church he found himself in a few minutes after arriving at the floating city had told him that the people here were extreme with their beliefs.

Sloshing his way through the warm, ankle deep water that covered the floors. Reece passed multiple plaques and busts of the man named Comstock. From the looks of things he was a religious leader and must have been of great importance to everyone.

"Excuse me!" he called out as he moved around a small statue of the prophet. "Can anyone tell me where I am?"

"Heaven, friend." Reece whirled around reaching for the pistol inside his jacket when he saw a man come out of an archway wearing an all white version of a priests outfit. "Or as close as we'll see till Judgement Day." the man continued with a very peaceful tone.

"Uh...okay." the teen said scratching his head. "Can you tell me where we are?"

The priest smiled, "You are in the sacred temple where we worship our leader and savior. His light and words fill these walls, purifying all who pass through. Washing away their sins as they are reborn anew."

An uneasy chill that he couldn't explain shot up his spine. "Um, I'm looking for Columbia...is that the name of this city?" he asked.

"Indeed it is, my son." said the priest motioning to the archway he came out of and a flight of stairs leading down. "Go forth. And may our Prophet's light fill you with serenity."

Reece nodded his thanks and began making his way down the stairs. Being careful not to slip and fall as the water around his feet flowed down like a small waterfall. _"I better keep any big questions to myself. I have no idea who these people are and how they'll treat me since I'm an outsider."_ he thought reaching a landing close to the bottom.

The sight before him made him pause.

A large open room was ahead, hundreds of candles lined the surrounding tables that all lead toward the front giving off an ethreal glow. The center path had several archways made with stone angels. Their arms stretched outward with candles in the center of their palms lighting the way for all those who passed beneath them.

The teen slowly came down the remaining steps and back into the water that was now up to his shins. Two people wearing white cloaks came out of doorways on the pathways outside the one he was walking through and seemed to shadow him as he approached the front of the room where a preacher was speaking to a small congrination.

"And every year on this day of days, we recommit ourselves to our city, and to our prophet. Father Comstock. We recommit through sacrifice, and the giving of thanks, and by submerging ourselves in the sweet waters of baptism." said the preacher.

Reece felt another shiver go through him as he approached the back of the gathering and looked up toward the archway where the man was speaking.

"It is our right, and our belief to purify ourselves to ensure our place in the heavens above. And as such..." the preacher paused as his eyes locked on Reece's. "Who is this? Someone new? Someone from the Sodom below? Newly come to Columbia to be washed clean, before our Prophet, our Founders, and our Lord?"

The gathered people parted allowing the teen to step forward, comforting smiles on their faces as he passed by them. His guard up just in case.

Seeing his hesitation, the preacher held out his hand. "Do not fear, my son. Our Lord and and Prophet offers forgiveness no matter the level of sin. Come forth, and wash away the taint from your soul."

"I'm just looking for passageway into the city, sir." said Reece deciding to be respectful to the man of the cloth.

The man stroked his chin. "Passage to the city? Ha ha. Son, the only way to Columbia is through the rebirth in the sweet waters of baptism." he said motioning to the water all around them. "Will you be cleansed, my son?"

"I...have already been baptised. When I was little." said the teen remembering that he and his sisters had gone through it in respect to his mother's parents' faith.

"Ah, but since then your soul bares the taint of the Sodom below. Such taint would bid our city ill, as well as your place in the Heavens." said the preacher.

Reece sighed, there was no getting around this. If he wanted to get into Columbia and find the girl he was told about he'd have to do this. Although, he still felt a large amount of anxiety considering the last time he had been in water.

Taking a deep breath, he looked at the man of the cloth and nodded. "Okay. I will be... _cleansed_." the word left a very bitter taste in his mouth.

The preacher smiled, "Praise be to the Founders." he said holding out his hand.

Clasping the hand, Reece was pulled forward and turned so that he was facing the group as they began to pray. "I baptize you, in the name of our Prophet, in the name of our Founders, in the name of our Lord!" the man's other hand grabbed the teen's forehead and forced him under the waters beneath them.

Reece was shocked at the sudden action and began to struggle since he didn't catch a good breath before being plunged down.

"And make him born again, in the bosom of Columbia!" the preacher continued pulling him back to the surface gasping and coughing for fresh air. "I don't know, brothers and sisters. But this one doesn't look clean to me."

"WAIT-" Reece couldn't finish as the man put his hand over his face and shoved him back under again. He struggled harder, what little oxygen leaving his lungs and water slowly starting to replace it. Flashbacks from the accident and drowning at the front of his mind as his vision started to darken.

His thrashing came to a slow stop as he slipped into oblivion.

X

 _The sound of someone knocking made the teen groan as he rolled over in his bed._

 _...wait. BED?_

 _Reece shot up and looked at everything around him. He wasn't in the sky-city's church. He was in his old bedroom back home in Rhoad Island. Everything exactly how he left it when he went to college in Maine._

 _Getting out of the bed, he surveyed the room, walking up to his desk where his computer, tv and gaming systems were set up. He went to the dresser next, pictures of him, his sisters, his parents and grandparents were organized on the top making him smile seeing each one._

 _Had everything been a dream? Had he made up the whole thing and was actually home?_

 _Another knock at the door drew his attention. "Reece, breakfest." his mom called from the other side of the door. "Hurry up! Your sisters are gonna eat everything!"_

 _Reece smiled wide, "Coming mom!" he said crossing the room, stepping over his weight set on the floor as he grabbed the door knob and pulled it open._

 _The smile vanished from his face in an instant. His mother wasn't on the other side of the door, infact the house hadn't been there. Instead what he saw was a large city being torn apart by fire and explosions. Screams could be heard in the streets as airships hovered above raining explosives down below._

 _"What...? What the hell's going on?" he asked wide eyed as he looked around in horror. Looking up toward the sky, he found a massive city floating above, the image of an angel standing before the moon._

 _An airship suddenly turned towards him, the spotlight on the front beaming at his face and became blinding. Reece's vision went black once more when he heard another explosion._

X

Coughing violently, Reece rolled over on to his hands and knees expelling the water from his lungs as he took deep breaths in between. "S-Son of a bitch..." he wheezed before going into another coughing fit. "I'm starting to hate the fucking water."

Shaking his head when the water was all gone and the familiar burn in his chest began to fade, he looked up and was surprised to see that he was outside laying in a pond surrounded by the statues of three men wearing togas. Getting a closer look, Reece was stunned to see that they were statues of Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. The founding fathers of America.

"What the..." getting a closer look, he saw that the plaques under each statue depicted each of the founding fathers as 'Father'. It also showed Franklin holding a large key, Washington a saber, and Jefferson a scroll.

He also witnessed three people in white robes kneeling before the statue of Washington in prayer as they spoke to one another.

 _"These people are worshiping the founding fathers like catholics do for Jesus."_ Reece thought to himself as he made sure that everything that had been on him when he got there was still where it was. Glad that everything was still in place, he silently treaded through the pond silently past them and up a small set of steps.

Reaching the top, Reece was greeted by another priest who smiled at him. "Our prophet fills our lungs with water so they may better love the air." he said before nodding and heading off somewhere else.

"...right. I seriously doubt drowning people was listed in the bible." he muttered before moving through the courtyard that was filled with neatly kept grass and planters filled with bushes of beautiful flowers. The aura of the place coupled with the gentle words spoken by the folks in white robes gave off a feeling of safety and peace.

It truely did look like an Eden.

 _"Gotta stay focused."_ Reece thought shaking his head as he kept moving. His wet clothes already drying from the warm sunlight bathing the area. _"Need to find some kind of landmark as a guide. Who knows what this place is like up close."_ Approaching a set of white wooded doors.

"Okay...still have to find the girl." squaring his shoulders. Reece put his hands on the door. "Let's do this." he pushed them open and was once again awe struck.

Beyond the threshold, the city of Columbia was revealed. Clusters of buildings hovered up and down around the 'island' that he was currently standing on. A railway system connected several buildings allowing crates of supplies to zip from one end to the other.

A couple of airships drifted lazily between structure as the island the teen was on lowered down, attaching a ramp to another island to grant passage.

Overcoming his shock, Reece began walking along the cobble-stone path toward the square ahead. Several people were off to the side speaking to one another, casting glances his way as he walked past.

He was having trouble trying to come to grips with everything around him. The very idea of a city in the clouds was unheard of. And the fact that this was not only possible, but very real had left the teen feeling lightheaded.

"You look a little peckish, son." Reece snapped out of his thoughts and saw that he had stopped next to a hotdog vendor. "Here, on the house." he said handing a fresh frank over to him.

It was in that moment Reece's stomach growled reminding him that he hadn't eaten the whole day. "Thanks." he said taking the food graciously and taking a big bite out of it.

"It isn't a problem at all son." said the vendor grining. "Today is a special day after all."

Nodding his thanks, the teen finished the hotdog and tossed the wrapper in a nearby garbage can as he headed forward. Along the way he began to take notice of several things out of the ordinary. The people were dressed really old fashioned and spoke formally between one another. Nothing at all the way people spoke back on the mainland.

"Extra! Extra! Vox Populi supporters sentenced to life in prison for acts against Father Comstock!" shouted a boy standing on top of a crate waving a newspaper in the air. Curious, Reece walked over and accepted one of the prints and looked over the front page.

His world coming to a screeching halt in the process.

At the top of the page where the date should have read April 21, 2015. Instead read back April 21,...1912!

At first he thought that this was some kind of joke, a delayed April fools prank or something like that. But then Reece remembered everything he had seen and heard up to this point. The old technology, the way people spoke and dressed, the modes of transportation around him. _"...No...it's...it's not possible! There just isn't any way this is possible!"_

"Sir? Are you alright? You look a bit pale." said the boy that had given him the paper.

Swallowing hard, Reece put on his best fake smile. "Y-Yeah, just can't believe what I'm reading here."

The boy smiled back, "I know what you mean. Don't worry, those Vox Populi monsters will pay dearly for attempting to usurp our savior!" he said with a lot of enthusiasm.

Paper clenched in his hand, Reece headed toward a nearby bench and flopped down hard on it. Putting his head in his unoccupied hand as he tired to calm all of the thoughts spinning around in his head.

The fact that he was basically forced into some weird odyssey after nearly dying was bad. Finding himself in a strange city that defied the laws of gravity was even worse. But now he discovers that he somehow went back in time 103 years into the past.

Reece may not have been aiming to get a degree in physics and the laws of the universe, but he knew damn well that this all defied everything that scientists had ever written.

That's when he remembered the letter he had gotten at the light house. Reaching into his back pocket and pulling the damp paper out he carefully unfolded it and re-read it until reaching the bottom. His earlier shock and confusion giving away to seriousness and anger.

 _"R & R Lutece...whoever the hell [;;'you are you better have some fucking answers when I find you." _Putting the note back, he looked down at the newspaper and figured that if he was going to be stuck here, he might as well learn about current events so that he didn't stand out anymore than he already did.

He spent the next 20 minutes reading the paper and soaking in all the information that he could about what was going on in Columbia. From what he could gather, there was a group of rebels called the Vox Populi that was fighting against Comstock and his followers. The public painted them as terrorists and enemies of the city for their actions which left Reece wondering why they were doing what they were.

It also seemed that today was the marking of Comstocks biggest achievement, and the people in the city marked the occasion by throwing a big fair in the man's honor. There were also ads depicting very strange beverages called Vigors that seemed to be a big commodity and came in a large variety for any situation.

Finished with his reading, Reece set the paper on the bench next to him and rubbed his face as he wrapped his mind around things. "Excuse me?" The teen looked up just as a woman wearing a regal looking dress sat down on the other side of the bench. "Is that today's paper?" she asked motioning to the article.

"Oh, yeah." said Reece handing her the paper with a smile.

The woman smiled back and accepted it. Her eyes looking him over briefly, "That's a very interesting outfit that you have. I've never seen such material." she commented running her fingers along the sleeve of his denim jacket.

"It's called denim." the teen said feeling a little relaxed, while at the same time remembering that the point in time he was now in didn't have a lot of things that were currently on him. "I got it from a friend who's currently experimenting with new fabrics for those who work hard jobs." he said covering his tracks.

The woman's hands wrapped around his bicep and gave a gentle squeeze, "From what I am feeling, you must be used to hard work." she said fluttering her eyelashes at him.

Reece blushed at the obvious flirting and grinned at her, "Indeed I am." He mentally shook himself, _"Got a job to do."_ "Sorry I can't stay long, but I have to meet someone soon and I don't want to be late." he said causing the woman to pout.

"That's a shame. If you find yourself needing company later, don't be afraid to come find me again." said the woman with a smile that had the teen's heart pumping a little.

Bidding the woman a farewell, Reece began walking along the busting streets of the floating metropolice. It really was like stepping back in time. Everything looked like what the US had been like back in this era, leaving him feeling very out of place considering that he was from the 21st century.

But everything wasn't all old fashioned. He walked past a carriage being pulled by a horse only to discover that the 'horse' was mechanical. The steed being powered by a power conduit attatched to its back as it trotted forward at a slow and steady pace.

The creation had the young mechanic's mind reeling. What he wouldn't give to look at the mechanized animal's inner workings like he would a cars engine just to see what makes it work and how.

Pressing on, Reece had to stop among a group of people who were waiting for a gate at the end of the 'island' to open and allow passage. In the open are just ouside, a parade of airships with floats on top of them drifted by depicting everything Comstock had done for the people of Columbia.

The last float caught his attention. It depicted Comstock holding a child in his arms with a woman holding his arm. The banner under the image reading, _**'A Miracle Child is Born. The Future of the City is Secured!'**_ He hard the narrator of the parade saying something about the 'Lamb being the future of the city' and that she was to lead the Sodom below into rightousness.

This put an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach as the parade finally passed and a bridge came up connecting the islands allowing the people passage.

Keeping as low a profile as possible, Reece did the best he could to blend in with the crowds. But every so often someone would come up to him and comment on his outfit and asked either where he had gotten it or if he knew of a way for them to get something similar. He knew that all the attention would probably be an issue, but no one was treating him with hostility so it put his mind at ease for the time being.

Even though he was searching for the girl in the photo, the teen couldn't help but look over the various shops and stands that were open. It wasn't anything like the shopping districts and malls from his time. It wasn't chaotic or rushed, no one fought over anything and didn't feel so cluttered either.

 _"I wonder if this is what grandma and grandpa meant when they where telling me about their childhood."_ he thought stepping through a large archway and looked up to see something very familiar.

In the distance was a large statue of an angel with her arms outstretched that towered over the city like a watchful guardian. The sunlight reflecting off of the golden surface casting a beautiful shine on the surrounding buildings of the island clusters around it.

Reaching into his back pocket, Reece pulled out the postcard he had gotten from the box at the lighthouse and saw that it was a match. "Monument Island." he said to himself before looking back at the large tower. "Guess that's where she is...now how do I get over there?"

"Telegram for Mr. Vega!" Reece jumped in surprised before looking down to see a boy holding out a letter for him.

"Huh?" he asked dumbly.

The boy held out the letter and smiled, "Telegram for you, sir." he said as the teen took it. The kid snapped a salute before running off down the street.

Confused, Reece turned the card over and started reading.

 _ **'Vega STOP'**_

 _ **'Do not alert Comstock to your presence STOP.'**_

 _ **'Whatever you do, do not pick #77 STOP.'**_

 _ **'Lutece.'**_

Narrowing his eyes, he looked back up at the monument before continuing on his trek. Tearing the telegram up and throwing it away as he walked so that no one else could read it. _"Whoever they are, they obviously want me to keep a low profile. Better keep to myself as much as possible."_

A few minutes of walking found the teen stepping into a fair that had been set of for the festival that was going on. Stands of food, arcade games and people selling various things were set up everywhere as the crowds gathered at each one.

Reece looked around in wonder at all the sites. One of the stands showed a man talking about Vigors and their uses and had two men dressed in costumes demonstrating various uses for them.

The time traveler damn near had to scrape his jaw off the ground when he saw the performers literally showing off super powers! Shooting around bolts of electricity and flames from their fingertips and levitating one another off the ground with the wave of their hands while the man speaking gathered the crowd.

 _"NO FUCKING WAY! Bottled super powers that you can drink? And here I thought Amp and Rockstar gave you an edge..."_ he thought as the performers continued showing off their abilities.

Yet another tally mark in the unbelievable column from what he had witnessed in this place.

After another minute, Reece moved on and made his way through the fair. Passing by the various stands that was giving away free food and drinks that he indulged in as he moved. No point in going through this situation on an empty stomach, something told him that he'd be needing the energy for what was ahead of him.

Passing by a row of games, one of the vendors called out. "Here's a young man who looks like he's got the skills! What do you say son? Care to give it a go?" Reece paused and looked at the stand where people had gathered around.

It was a target shooting game that tested the player's accuracy skills. A couple of people were already attempting it and weren't doing so well, but having fun regardless.

Shrugging, the teen stepped through the small crowd and stood in front of the stand where an old school carbine rifle laid on the counter. "It's really simple! Just shoot down those vile members of the Vox Populi and the their leader Daisy Fitzroy!" said the vendor. "The higher your score the better the prize!"

Picking up the rifle, Reece tested it in his arms and looked down the iron sights. "Okay, I'll give it a shot." he said making the man clap.

"Excellent! We got a live one!" shouted the vendor as a few people stood and watched the teen get set up. He'd played these kinds of games before. Even went to a couple shooting ranges with his dad and grandpa.

Pressing the stock to his shoulder, the teen waited patiently as the timer in the the back of the booth restarted itself. A moment later a buzzer sounded and targets began to pop up.

Taking a deep breath, Reece looked down the sights and began pulling the trigger. Putting down the first three targets in quick succession as more took their place. Each time one popped up he reaimed and put it down before it could slide back. "Oh! Those Vox are quaking in their boots folks! This kid's got the goods!" the vendor called out as more people watched him take down more targets.

Reece kept shooting, excitement starting to go through him as he started to enjoy himself. The timer in the back reached the halfway point as a moving target in behind the others began to move from right to left. Getting a lock on it, he shot it three times as it moved before going back to the ones in the front.

"And he's hit the monster Fitzroy ladies and gentlemen!" exclaimed the man as the crowd started clapping.

When the game came to an end, the teen had racked up a score of 31 which had gotten him the 1st place prize of 50 silver coins. Taking his winnings and slipping them into the bag he had gotten earlier. "Well done, son. Well done." said the vendor clapping a hand on his shoulder. "Your a natural gunslinger you are."

Reece nodded, "It was fun." he said as he went back to his original path.

The other booths were roughly the same, and another man stood on a stage speaking about an invention he called the 'Handyman'.

Standing next to the speaker was something that looked like a robot with a man's head on the top and a heart in a glass sphere in the center of its chest. The hands on the creation looked big enough to grab a full grown man like he was nothing and probably had the strength to throw him like a small rock.

 _"Damn...wouldn't want to piss one of those things off."_ he thought to himself as he headed toward a gate that was blocked off by a robotic vending machine.

No matter what he did, the thing wouldn't grant him passage saying that the path beyond was closed off because tickets were sold out for the day. "Dammit...now what?" Reece said looking for another way through.

"Dear friend, have you ever lost a penny to a vending machine?" Reece turned to see a woman holding a basket full of odd looking bottles that were green in color, a woman on the top with a heart above her bosom acting as the seal.

"Has a pay telephone ever refused to connect you with a beloved spouse?" she continued. "Well it's time to take back control from the men of metal! With Possession. YOU are the master! You will bend any machine to your will!"

Tilting his head, Reece looked at the strange beverage. "What does it do?" he asked.

The woman smiled, "It's a Vigor, sweetie. You drink it, and you'll know how to use it. Since you are my first customer of the day, I'll give you one for free."

A little surprised, the time traveler picked up one of the bottles and looked it over. Seeing the circular picture of a heart being run through by a green sword under the small statue on the front. "Thank you." he said examining the strange concotion.

Remembering what he had seen at the beginning of the fair, the thought of super powers did seem appealing. And considering that the vending machine wasn't letting him pass it seemed like his best option to keep going.

 _"Well...you only live once right?"_ he thought popping the top off and drinking the fluid inside.

It tasted strangely like coke laced with a large amount of spearmint. An odd tingling feeling followed the beverage as it went down his throat that quickly began to spread through the rest of his body. His vision starting to go a little blurry and causing him to stumble back a step as he looked at the vendor as her arms reached out and tracing an ethreal green heart in the air between them.

She leaned forward and began to whisper, "With just one whisper, they're all ears." she blew a kiss that sent a green mist from her lips before his vision returned to normal and the strange feeling faded with everything going back to normal.

Reece looked at his hands and didn't feel any different. Concentrating a little, he felt a warming sensation stretch from the tips of his fingers on his left hand to his forearm.

Then he saw it. A light green glow covered his left hand and a small projection of what looked like a woman drifted around his fingers lazily as though she were waiting for something to command her.

He then started to know things he didn't know before. Like an instinct that he didn't think he had, had awoken and was now showing him what to do.

Holding out his hand, Reece felt a small surge go through his form and down his arm. The green, ghostly image of a woman shot out of his outstretched hand and flew into the vending machine. The robot on top of it shuttered a moment before its eyes turned green. "Go onward pilgrim! The raffle awaits!" it said bowing to him and opening the gate.

Reece looked at his hand as the green glow faded, he couldn't help but feel a slight thrill go through him. "That...was different." he said before heading through the open doorway.

On the other side was a small courtyard, and standing before him was a man and woman. Both with red hair and brown-beige clothes standing side by side. The man holding a chalk board with Heads/Tails with tally marks written on it, the woman holding a plate with a coin on it.

Something about the two caused him to be more alert as the man spoke in a monotone voice. "Greetings. My name is Robert. This is my sister, Rosalind. Which side will you choose?" he asked. "Heads?"

"Or tails?" said the woman in the same tone tossing him the coin.

Reece looked at the coin oddly, "Uhh..." he was a little stumped at the sudden question. But before he could flip the coin for the sake of it, the names of the two before him rang in his head again.

Robert and Rosalind...R & R..." _R & R_!" he screamed in his head.

"Lutece?" he asked praying that he was correct.

The woman smiled and turned to her brother, "I told you he would piece it together."

Robert nodded looking a little disappointed, "So you did, sister." he looked at Reece, "We are Lutece, you are correct."

Anger burned through the teen as he clenched his fist around the coin in his hand. "What the fuck is going on! Why did you bring me here!" he demanded taking a threatening step forward.

The twins made no move and didn't look the least bit threatened by his hostility. "Your life was coming to an early end." said Rosalind.

"We saved you from your demise." added Robert.

"In exchange we gave you an objective to follow." said the sister.

"One that you would be capable of completing." said the brother.

"Unless Death comes to claim you again." they said at the same time.

The teen looked between them a little weirded out from the constant switching of sentences. "Why me? Why not someone else?" he asked still pretty pissed off.

"If it gives you what you desire, does it really matter?" asked Robert in return.

Reece gritted his teeth, "It matters if I'm being jerked around like a dog on a leash. So you better have some damn good answers or I'll take your so called 'mission' and shove it where you'll least enjoy it."

Robert turned to his twin with a smug grin, "I told you that he wouldn't be easily swayed."

"Indeed, brother." said Rosalind before turning back to the teen. "Ease yourself, Mr. Vega. We are here to offer you aid in your quest. However, we can only offer support from behind the scenes. You will have to do the rest on your own. Your natural instincts being your guide."

Shaking his head, Reece decided to ask the one question that would probably help him the most. "Who exactly is 'Elizabeth'? Why is she so important that someone has to break her out of that tower?"

The twins merely smiled, "That you must find out on your own. Everything will become clear soon enough." said Robert.

"Good luck, Mr. Vega." said Rosalind as they began to walk away.

"Hay wait!" Reece called out going after them. But a small crowd of people blocked off his path making him stop. By the time the path cleared the twins had vanished. "Dammit." he cursed. Looking down at the coin they had given him, rolling it over in his hand a moment before shrugging and flipped it in the air. Catching it as it fell and looking at the result.

Heads.

"Maybe that's a good sign." he sighed before pocketing the coin and following the cobblestone walkway. Being sure to keep the angel-shaped tower in the distance in sight as a marker to know where he should be going.

Walking by a couple of police officers, one of them showing off a device that was attached to his arm with three hooks on the end spinning like a saw blade. He wondered what something like that did for the people here. Was it a weapon? Or was it a tool of some sort?

Regardless, he kept moving forward until he saw a bunch of people heading through an archway at the end of the path. Tilting his head, he followed them at a safe distance to see what was going on.

When he reached the door way leading to where they were gathering, he stopped when he saw a sign set up infront of it.

It showed a black demonic looking hand with a cross with a star in the center on the back of it. The words, _**'You Shall Know The False Shepard. By His Mark!'**_

Reece felt his heart stop and his blood freeze in his veins. Looking down, he slid back the sleeve of his jacket to reveal a black tattoo on the back of his right hand.

A catholic cross with the star of David in the center of it. He had gotten it and a couple others not long after he started college. This one was in honor of the faith on both sides of his family.

His parents were a little stunned at first, but respected his choice in what he was doing with his own skin. His sisters thought it was cool and wanted to get their own tattoos when they were old enough.

Realizing the situation had now turned for the worse, Reece looked around quickly to see if anyone had seen his tattoo before covering it with his sleeve once more. "What the hell is going on in this place?" he said feeling as though he had walked into a den of lions.

It was beyond coincidence that the mark depicted in the poster and his tattoo were exactly the same. _"It's almost like...they knew I would be coming..."_ fear pierced his heart. He had to keep his hand hidden, these people were strong in their beliefs. And if they saw the 'mark' on the back of his hand there was no telling what would happen.

Trying to remain as calm as possible, Reece shook himself before heading through the doorway and the small park beyond before stopping in front of a stage where a man was speaking to a large crowd of people. There was some kind of raffle going on and everyone wanted seemed to be feeling lucky today.

Slipping into the crowd, the teen made hs way to the steps on the other side but found himself blocked off by a wall of people. "Excuse me." he said slowly pushing his way through.

"What's the rush stranger?"

Reece turned and saw a young woman holding a basket full of baseballs smiling sweetly at him. "The raffle is just starting. Don't you feel lucky?"

"Sorry, no sale miss." he replied.

The girl giggled, "There's no charge for the raffle, sir. You been sleeping under a rock?" she asked tilting her head confused.

Not wanting to blow his cover, Reece grabbed one of the balls with his left hand. Being sure to keep his right in his jacket pocket out of sight.

It turned out that each ball had a number on them. And the one he drew had a bright red 77 on it. "Seventy-Seven." he said making the girl smile even brighter.

"That's a very lucky number. I'll be routing for you." she said winking at him before heading off back into the crowd.

Reece rolled the baseball in his hand as the man on stage asked for a bowl filled with small slips of paper. The drawing about to begin. The girl walked on stage as the speaker said to the crowd. "Is that not the prettiest young white girl in all of Columbia? Ha ha!"

Reece choked and nearly dropped the ball from what he just heard. White girl? What the hell did he...? The crowd around him began cheering hitting home that something really wasn't right about this. Looking back down at the number, something clicked in the teen's mind.

 _"Number 77...didn't that telegram say that I_ shouldn't _pick this number?"_ he thought as the feeling of unease increased.

"Alright then, the winner is..." said the man reaching into the bowl and pulling a slip of paper out. "...Number 77!"

"Oh fuck me..." Reece groaned as the woman next to him called out that he had the lucky number as the crowd began cheering again.

"Number 77, come forward and claim your prize!" the man shouted as the teen approached the stage. The crowd parting like the red sea as he stood at the front while the curtain behind the stage opened.

What he saw filled him with dread and anger. A fake jungle scenery was revealed and opened up as a white man and a black woman that were tied up were brought to the front.

Reece's unease had reached it's peak as the crowd behind him started chanting, "First Throw! First Throw! First Throw!"

 _"These people are out of their fucking minds!"_ he couldn't believe this. The people here were racist! And they were intending on stoning these people with baseballs for fun like it was some kind of sick game!

The interracial couple pleaded not to be harmed as the man on stage grinned down at Reece, "Well, Son? Are you gonna throw it?...or are you taking your coffee black these days?" he asked laughing loudly with several others joining him.

Rage filled Reece's being. Some of his good friends were African-American back at school. And these assholes were expecting him to punish these innocent people because they were different and obviously loved each other?

Tossing the ball to his right hand, clenching it with all his strength as he leered at the speaker who awaited his throw. "You want me to throw it?" he asked earily calm. People nodded eagerly not hearing the tone in his voice. "Then here!" Reece shouted cocking his fist back about to launch it forward toward the speaker.

He got halfway through the throw when a police officer caught his hand, stopping him. "It's him!" screamed a nearby man pointing in fear.

Reece struggled in the cop's grip when he realized his error. In his angered haze he forgot about his tattoo that was now completely on display for the whole world to see.

The cop sneered at him before jerking his hand forward for the man on stage to see it to, "Now, where'd you get that brand, boy?" he asked darkly. "Don't you know that makes you the back stabbing snake in the grass False Shepard?"

Everyone in the crowd gasped and stepped back as another cop grabbed Reece's other hand and held him in place. The teen stuggled to get free, but the two men held him firm as the man addressed the crowd.

"I ain't letting no 'False Shepard into our flock!" he exclaimed making the crowd roar with agreement. He looked down at the police officers with a sadistic grin. "Show him what we got planned for him, boys!"

The cop on his right reached back and pulled out the same kind of hook-device he had seen on another officer earlier. Pulling the trigger and causing the hooks to spin around, going faster and faster with each passing moment like a deadly buzzsaw as he began pushing it toward Reece's face.

"Time to die FALSE SHEPARD!"

 **A/N: The first steps into Columbia, and there's already more than enough trouble for Reece to handle. The first cliffhanger of many I'm afraid, but if you know the game then you can expect such in many ways.**

 **Next update coming soon!**


	3. Wanted

**A/N: Usually I have something to say before the start of each chapter, but given the rate of these updates I can't seem to come up with anything really creative. So let's just get right into where we left off, shall we?**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Bioshock.**

The situation was bad...no, the situation was downright life threatening at this point!

Reece was held in place by the two cops as one of them was preparing to tear into his face with the spinning hook-device on his arm. Everyone in the area wanting his blood after seeing the tattoo on his hand that had unknowingly marked him as the 'False Shepard' to the radical believers.

The crowd that had been there for the raffle were cheering the officer on. Chanting "Kill him! Kill him! Kill him!" as the spinning hooks drew in closer.

For his part, Reece knew that he was as good as dead if he didn't do something and do it fast.

Time slowed to a crawl as his MMA training kicked in. Twisting his right arm so that he grasped the officer holding him on the other side, he pulled back dragging the man into the path of the deadly hooks as they burrowed into his head. Spraying blood and chunks of flesh through the air as it tore through his shocked face.

The attacking officer looked horrified having inadvertenly killed his partner as the dead man dropped to the ground with the device still in his head.

Using the distraction, Reece used the baseball in his hand to deliver a powerful right cross to the frozen officer's face. Hearing the tell tale crunch of a broken jaw as he fell to the ground unconcious while the crowd had began screaming in terror and fleeing the area as fast as they could.

A group of cops came running down the steps and into the open area with clubs at the ready as they charged the teen with intent to put him down.

"Stop him! Stop him! The False Shepard's come to lead our lamb astray!" the man on stage shouted as he fled with everyone else. Reece took a fighting stance as two officers closed in first. Spinning on the ball of his foot, the teen drove his heel into the side of the head of the closest officer and sending him crashing into the other.

Knocking both men to the ground as a third swung his club. Reece ducked around the stirke and gave the man an uppercut that threw him for a loop before kicking him in the chest and sending him sprawling to the ground.

The two cops he had knocked down had gotten back up. The one he had kicked had a large bruise forming on the side of his head while the other reached for his side arm.

Thinking fast, Reece unzipped his jacket and drew the pistol he had hidden and shot the officer before he had a chance to take aim himself. The other officer never had a chance to figure out what happened before another round drilled through his head and dropped him to the ground too.

With four cops down, the last got back to his feet and charged the teen one last time before two rounds were fired into his chest. Punching bloody holes in his uniform as he fell face first to the cobblestones.

Everything went quiet. Reece breathed a little heavily from the rush of adrenaline before everything finally caught up with him.

He had just killed four people. The only living cop was on the ground out cold surrounded by the corpses of his friends and colleagues.

Feeling sick, Reece dropped to his knees cluching his stomach. Fighting the urge to throw up when he realized what he had done. "...self defense...it was self defense..." he muttered to himself as he tried to get his senses back under control.

Having to come to grips with the fact that he was in a life or death situation that caused him to act in anyway he could to stay alive. His MMA couch told him that if something like this were to ever happen that he shouldn't pull his punches. And do whatever it took to defend himself and those around him if they needed it.

Getting some of his resolve back, the teen stood up slowly. Cluching the pistol in his hand as he surveyed the area.

There weren't anymore people out to get him at the moment. But all the noise would have most likely drawn attention. And who knew how many people alerted the police to his presense and what he had done.

Looking back at the body of the first officer, Reece looked at the device that was still implanted in the man's skull. If the police had been using this thing it obviously had a use for something other than tearing someone up.

And if that was the case, having one would benefit him in his journey.

Figuring that the one soaked in blood was damaged from what had happened. Reece began searching the bodies of the other officers for another. Finding coins, which had been called Silver Eagles, and spare pistol ammo, he managed to find another hook-device like the one that killed the first cop.

The arm bracer had 'Deluxe Sky-Hook' written in gold lettering giving a name for the device.

Slipping it on, the teen wrapped his fingers around the triggers that were at the end where his hand went. Testing them out, he found that one caused the hooks to spin and controlled rotation speed, another made them stop, and the last didn't seem to do anything at all. But must have had a use for something.

Nodding in satisfaction, Reece removed the sky-hook from his arm and clipped it on to the belt of his pants before taking out his pistol. Looking to where the group of cops came from, he could make out the head of Monument Island in the distance and knew that, that direction is where he needed to go.

Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves. The traveller went up the steps slowly, keeping his eyes focused for anything that would come at him with an intent to kill.

He didn't have to wait long as two officers came running. Shouting for him to freeze as they drew their clubs.

Waiting for them to get close. Reece side-stepped the first before kicking his feet out from under him and sending the cop tumbling down the stairs until he hit the bottom with a loud crack where he laid motionless on the ground.

The second cop swung his club only for the teen to block his arm in mid-strike. Pressing the barrel of the pistol to his chest and pulling the trigger causing a small fountain of blood to spray out the man's back.

When the officer collapsed to the ground, Reece felt sickness grip his stomach again after taking another life. Shaking it off, he steeled his resolve as he sprinted for the bridge that lead to his objective.

The moment he reached the bridge, however. The walls keeping it in place rose up blocking passage and making him skid to a stop. "Shit." he muttered as he heard Two more cops come out of a nearby pathway, one of them brandishing their side arm as they opened fire on the 'False Shepard'.

Reece dropped into cover behind a nearby cart as bullets clipped around him. Steadying his breathing as he remembered something his grandfather had told him he had learned when he was fighting in the war.

 _"Take Cover. Take Aim. Take Control."_ he recited in his head as he popped up and returned fire. One of the rounds hitting an officer in the shoulder causing him to spin and drop to the ground clutching his wound. Two others hit home on the second officer's center of mass and dropped him quickly.

Seeing the wounded man go for the dead one's firearm, Reece put him down fast before he could reach it. _"I hope that this is all worth it."_ he thought grimly as he entered the area where the last two cops came out of.

The smaller section looked to be a storage area for vending machines that were being repaired. One of them was up and running and had a large sack filled with Silver Eagles sitting next to it, signifying that someone had just finished emptying it out.

Stepping up to the automated man that controlled the machine. Reece saw that there was only one item on sale. A small bottle of green liquid that bore the same symbol as the Possession Vigor he had drank before.

 _ **'Possession Aid: Improves already existing Possession Vigor. Giving the wielder the ability to possess humans who will suicide when the effect expires.'**_

"Who the hell would make something like that?" the teen wondered a little disturbed. Still...if it would help keep him alive then it could be useful.

Seeing that the price of the Vigor upgrade was $50, he looked down at the full bag of Silver Eagles and shrugged. "Their loss, my gain." he said taking the right amount from the bag and putting them into the machine and pocketing what was left.

The machine spat out the small bottle before a red sign saying _**'Sold Out'**_ popped up. Taking the bottle, Reece pulled the top off and gulped down the familiar cola/spearmint flavored drink as he felt the same tingling as before. His left arm glowed green as his body adjusted to the Vigors upgrade.

When the feeling passed, the traveller squared his shoulders before heading toward a ramp that lead up to a docked airship next to the vending machine.

He barely made it to the top when a officer came zipping down the rail system in the air with a sky-hook and dropped down in front of him. Reece raised his pistol and fired before the man could take a swing at him as two more came flying down the rails and lept off on to the airship.

Seeing this as a good time to test his new ability. Reece launched a Possession that went into the cop on the right making him freeze. His eyes glowed an eary green as he turned to his partner and put a bullet through his head before quickly turning the gun on himself.

A little stunned at what he had seen, Reece shook it off quickly as he searched their bodies for anything useful.

It may have been immoral considering that they were dead. But at this point it was about survival, and every little bit helped keep him alive in a city that obviously wanted him dead at the moment.

After collecting what he could, the teen reloaded his pistol and treaded slowly alond the transport where he saw what looked to be an automated gun turret set up on the bow. He didn't have long to admire the workmanship as a barrage of pistol rounds began to tear up the wood around him.

Getting to cover, Reece peered over the edge and saw a half-dozen cops firing on his position. He didn't have nearly enough ammo to deal with them, and if he moved he'd be dead before he made it two feet.

Thinking of his options, he looked up at the turret and an idea quickly formed. Raising his left hand, he launched a Possession into the automated weapon causing it to spring to life and open fire on the men below.

The uniformed men didn't stand a chance as they were torn apart by the volley of slugs from the turret and were all dead in moments before the effect of the vigor wore off and it shut back down again.

Reece stood up and looked down at his hand, "This...is some seriously awesome shit." he said grinning.

But the grin faded after a while. He flicked his wrist and focused to get the glow of his powers back and nothing happened. "What's going on?" he wondered failing at getting this Vigor to work.

Confused, he sat down on a nearby crate only to catch himself as the lid fell in. Standing up, he looked into the wooden box and found a small collection of bottles filled with glowing blue fluid. Picking one of the bottles up, he read the back and saw that they were called Salts. And what they did made him realize what the problem with his Vigor was.

 _ **'Running low on power? Fear not! Recharge your Vigors with Salts and keep the juices flowing!'**_

It was obvious, a car runs on gas. A gun runs on bullets. Vigors needed to be refilled too, and these Salts were what was needed to keep the powers at full.

Without thinking he popped the top and gulped down the contents. The bottle fell crashing to the ground as he gagged on the flavor of the drink. It definately lived up to the name, it tasted like blue raspberry kool-aid, but someone had used salt instead of sugar when they mixed it.

Coughing a little and wiping a few tears away, Reece looked down and smiled seeing the familiar glow of his Possession power working again. _"The stuff may taste bad, but if it keeps my powers going..."_ he took out two more bottles of Salts and pocketed them. Realizing that he was finding it hard to put stuff away and would have to find something to help him carry the stuff he had on him.

Searching the other crates, he found a small brown leather backpack that would work just fine. Slipping the Salts, his money and ammunition into it before pulling it on.

Satisfied for the moment. Reece ran to the end of the airship and jumped down to the ground. After collecting what he could from the downed cops he began to move through the market district.

However, the police had regrouped in the area and came at him from different angles. Along with them was another gun turret that locked on to him and opened fire forcing him to take refuge behind a planter as gunfire rained down around him.

Firing another Possession into the active turret, the machine turned on the police before they had a chance to take cover. Reece fired his pistol in tendem with the turret as he moved from cover to cover to stay out of sight. When the cops were dealt with, the teen slipped down another street just as the Possession had worn off and the turret went back to its original functions.

It seemed that no matter where he went, Reece was met with opposition.

Two more cops fell as he dumped the spent clip from his pistol and inserted a new one while he kept fighting his way down the cobblestone street. Gathering what supplies he could from abandoned carriages and stands as well as the bodies of the dead when he saw a small group of officers going through the gate at the end of the road.

"It's the Fireman! Fireman's on his way!" shouted an officer. "He'll take care of the son of a bitch!" the gate was closed just as he arrived at the end. And right away he started to feel something off.

"Why is it so hot all of a sudden?" he wondered pushing the gate open wide enough for him to slip inside.

Seeing another empty street, Reece saw someone standing on top of a stack of crates just ahead. The man was wearing something that resembled welding armor complete with a mask as he stood tall.

Reece was ready, pistol aimed and Possession Vigor powered up to take the man down.

What he wasn't ready for was for the man to suddenly burst into flames! Spreading fires along the buildings and nearby stands turning the heat up like an oven on a hot day. "Oh...SHIT!" the teen shouted as the armored man hopped down from his perch and began to stalk forward.

"Burn in hell, in the name of our Prophet!" the man shouted before forming a ball of fire and stone to his hand and launching it Reece's way. The teen dove behind a carriage as the attack blew a smoldering chunk out of it like a grenade while setting the rest ablaze. Leaning out of cover to fire a few shots at the Fireman only for the rounds to bounce off of his armor, only leaving dents.

Reece leaned back as another fireball was sent his way. Bouncing across the ground behind him before it exploded, sending flaming shrapnel in all directions forcing him to cover his face with his arm for a little protection and catching the sleeve of his jacket on fire.

Quickly patting himself out, the teen heard the pyro-maniac stomping his way toward his location as the temperature around the area skyrocketed causing him to sweat. _"This asshole is definately packing a Vigor. Gotta think of something fast before he bar-b-ques me!"_ Reece looked around for anything that could give him an edge.

Almost everything was on fire, and if the flames didn't get to him the Fireman would blow him apart with his flaming grenades.

Another blast, this one larger than the others. Obliterated the carriage Reece had been crouched behind and sent him crashing to the ground a few feet away. The Fireman stalked toward him, his arms covered in flames as he prepared to destroy the 'False Shepard' with one powerful attack.

Rolling to his feet, Reece aimed his pistol at the approaching man. But deep in his mind he knew that bullets wouldn't do enough damage with the armor his enemy was wearing. Seeing the green glow of his left arm, he hoped that his powers effected someone else who had abilities.

The Fireman summoned two fireballs to his hands forcing the teen to make a split decision as he launched a Possession across the distance between them and into the armored pyro-maniac.

When the ethreal image entered the armored man nothing seemed to happen at first. Then he seemed to freeze in place, dropping his arms causing his fireballs to dissipate into the air as the Vigor took effect.

Not wasting the moment he was given, Reece crossed the open space and pressed his pistol into the open visor of the Fireman's helmet and pulled the trigger. Splattering the man's brains out the back of his skull before his corpse crumpled to the ground.

The moment of relief that came from the deadly man's demise was short lived when his corpse surged with flames. Reece couldn't react fast enough as the body exploded in a bright blast that blew him back and hit a cart that had yet to be burned.

Laying in a heap of shattered lumber and a handful of knick-knacks that had been shelved on it with pain flowing up and down his back. "Ohhh...dammit..." he groaned as he slowly got back to his feet rubbing his lower back, wincing when he managed to stand upright again. "Note to self, crazy fire-bastards explode when they die."

Shaking off as much of the ache as he could, Reece approached the charred corpse of the Fireman. From what he could make out up close the guy was wearing full on leather and metal plated armor with multiple tubes and pipes connecting his arms to a device that was on his back. Most likely a way for him to control his fire abilities in a fight.

"What was that about burning in hell?" the teen asked kicking the charred corpse.

The sudden jolt caused a bottle to slip out of a compartment on the dead man's side and clatter lightly to the ground. Curious, Reece bent down and picked it up.

It was bright orange, and was in the shape of a nude woman with devil horns on the top of her head and was blowing a kiss. The circular picture on the bottle was of a cartoon devil with the label, _**'Devil's Kiss.'**_. But by far the strangest thing about the concoction that he was holding was that it was warm to the touch.

Thinking it over for a moment, Reece remembered what the Fireman had been capable of and had a feeling that fire-powers would help him in a tight spot should he need it.

Grabbing the head of the bottle and pulling it off, the took a deep breath. "Well, bottoms up." he said before gulping down the Vigor.

The bottle shattered on the ground as what he could only describe as cinnimon flavored napalm burned a trail down his throat. His vision tinted red as he felt the burning spread throughout his frame. The flesh of his hands and arms ignited and began to literally melt away leaving behind blackened bones.

Falling to his knees, Reece's mouth was open in a silent scream as he continued to burn. A flashed filled his vision making him blink, and when he looked at his hands again he was shocked to see them back to the way they were before. Nothing missing or out of place at all.

"That...was too trippy for my own good." he muttered as he examined himself a little more closely. Holding out his hand, he concentrated on the burning he had been feeling during the transformation. In moments, a flaming ball of magma appeared in the palm of his hand. The flames licking around his fingers but didn't cause any pain as he observed his new power.

Seeing a trash can nearby. Reece threw the fireball at it to see the results. The moment the attack hit home it exploded in a flash of flames that spread a decent distance for its size. Leaving the metal bin nothing but a smoldering piece of salvage.

Grinning at the success of his new power, the traveller picked up his dropped pistol and reloaded it before going around the corner in the street.

His moment of reprieve shattered when a turret kicked on sending a hail of bullets in his direction.

Conjuring up his new ability, Reece hurled two fire-blasts at the turret as he ran for cover. The attacks blowing the automated gun to pieces as a group of police officers ran out into the open to engage him.

Taking down one of the cops with his pistol, the teen pulled out a bottle of Salts and drank it fast to replenish his lost energy. Fighting down the bad taste better than before, he launched a Possession in to one of the other officers and making him turn on his partners.

Now distracted, Reece picked off the remaining hostiles easily while the possessed man executed himself when the effects wore off.

With things quiet again, he salvaged what he could from the dead bodies and nearby crates. Coming up with a coupld extra bottles of Salts, Silver Eagles, ammo and a first aid kit that was behind a stand nearby before making his way to a place called the Blue Ribbon.

Squaring his shoulders, the teen gripped his pistol as he slowly opened the door. Slipping inside silently so that he wouldn't catch any unwanted attention from anyone that could have been waiting inside.

X

As it turned out, the Blue Ribbon was a resturant and bar. A very nice one at that. And very much empty, save for the two faces that filled Reece with anger and unease.

"We have company." said Rosalind standing at the opening to the kitchen. Her brother at the bar absently wiping down the surface as he looked up at their guest.

"It would seem we do, sister." replied Robert as he stopped what he was doing.

Reece pointed a finger at them as he stalked forward, "You two got a lot of fucking explaining to do! What the hell is going on around here? Everyone in this goddamn city wants me dead because they think I'm some kind of-"

"False Shepard?" Robert stated rather than asked making the teen pause.

"Come to lead the Lamb astray." finished Rosalind as she went into the kitchen and disappeared.

"Uhh, yeah. Exactly." Reece said a little unnerved. "What is that all about? It's almost as if these people knew I was coming and see me as the anti-Christ or something. And what is this about me supposedly leading their 'Lamb astray'? It doesn't make sense to me."

Robert went back to casually cleaning the bar as he spoke, "The answer is easy to find. Once you see everything the way they should be."

The traveller rubbed his eyes and glared at the man, "Stop speaking in riddles! You and your sister are putting me through this hell, the least you can do is give me a straight answer instead of this cryptic bullshit!"

"All the answers you will need are at the end of this journey." said Rosalind as she came back in from the kitchen holding a platter dish with a bottle filled with glowing yellow liquid. "This you will find quite useful."

"The difference between life and death." said her brother.

Taking the bottle, Reece saw _**'Lutece Infusion'**_ written on the label. Looking at Rosalind who was looking at him expectantly. "What is it?" he asked looking back at the bottle in his hand.

"Magnetic Repulsion Field." said Robert as though it were common knowledge. "Around one's body, it can become rather handy."

"If it doesn't kill you." said Rosalind making Reece's head snap up.

"Wait...kill me? And you want me to drink this shit!?" he asked now looking at the infusion like it was an active grenade. "Why the hell would anyone risk death for this? What does it do anyway?"

The twins sighed at the same time. "The field amplifies your body's bioelectric aura and projects it around you. Creating a membrane that pulses off of your skin, protecting you from harm." explained Robert.

"Additionally, the pulses given by the field will remove dirt and other contaminents from your being." added Rosalind.

Looking the infusion over again, Reece couldn't help but wonder the possibilities. From what he could gather from the twins' explination, this stuff essentially allowed his body to create its own energy field that acted like as shield in a firefight.

Kind of like the shields used by the Master Chief's armor in Halo, only it was bio-engineered instead of mechanically built.

Popping the top off, the teen sniffed the substance and found no odor whatsoever. Taking a deep breath, he knocked the bottle back and swallowed every drop before he could change his mind.

In addition to it not having a smell, the infusion had no taste either. Almost like water, but even then it had no other distinguished features.

His thoughts on the drink's flavor came to an abrupt halt when he felt a powerful jolt shoot through his system. Something similar to somebody hooking up a car battery to jumper cables and attaching them to his ribcage. He was thrown back from the surge and knocked over a table as he hit the ground.

The twins watched passively, waiting for a response from the prone traveller as he groaned from his spot on the floor. "Hmm...interesting." said Rosalind as Reece slowly got up into a sitting position.

"Surprised that it worked?" asked Robert.

"Surprised that it didn't kill him." replied his sister as the teen staggered back to his feet.

"Gee...don't I feel special..." Reece said as he felt his body return to what he believed was normal. "How do I know if this thing works?" he asked not seeing any differences with his form.

"The next time you face hostility, an attack that would normally kill you should prove to be nothing more than a nuisence." said Rosalind.

"However, your field is weak and can only handle a few strikes at a time before having to recharge." said Robert. "There are other infusions scattered throughout Columbia, finding and consuming them will make your field stronger and more durable in combat."

 _"Okay, the shield can only take so much and I should find 'upgrades' around the city. Check."_ he thought before nodding. "Uh, thanks. For the help." he said getting nods from the twins as they went back to doing menial tasks around the resturant for some reason.

After gathering up a good sum of Silver Eagles from around the establishment, as well as some food and drinks from the kitchen and storing them in his backpack. Reece exited out of the back of the building through a storage area and found himself on a large patio that faced other floating islands not too far away.

Traversing the platform, he found that there was no bridge or anything connecting the clusters at all. Leaving him stranded where he stood.

"Now what?" Reece wondered looking for some way to help him get to the next island. His green eyes scanning every which way until they locked on to a couple of large lift hooks on the building across from him. "I wonder..."

Putting the pistol away, he took out the sky-hook and slipped it on to his left arm. Spinning the hooks briefly to make sure that he had it on right, he looked up at the hook closest to him. "How would this work?" he thought. Then he remembered the trigger inside the device that didn't do anything when he tried it before.

Shrugging, he aimed the sky-hook at the lift hook ahead and squeezed the trigger.

Considering what he had seen, Reece had expected a grappling hook or something to shoot out of the device. Instead he was jerked off his feet so fast that he nearly got whiplash. Flying through the air within moments before the sky-hook attatched itself to the lift hook he had been aiming at.

"HOLY SHIT!" he shouted as he dangled in the air above open air. Heart racing at the sudden rush he got from shooting through the air like that.

Looking at the next hook on the building, Reece focused as he swung himself on the one he was already on. Releasing the trigger he had been holding down as he launched himself forward. Hitting the trigger again as it attached to the next hook as easily as the first.

Getting used to the motions, he repeated the action as he jumped from hook to hook along the side of another building until he ran out of hooks.

Ahead of him was a rooftop where a soldier in a grey uniform was standing with his back to him. Not wanting to risk alerting anyone nearby with a gunshot, Reece swung back before launching forward. The soldier heard the noise and turned in time for the teen's feet to connect hard with his chest and send him into the railing around the rooftop and plummeting over edge to his death.

When he got his barings back , Reece saw the soldier's dropped weapon and picked it up.

It looked like a machine gun from the way it looked. Which was shocking because he was pretty sure that guns like this never exicted at this point in the 1900s. Then again, he was pretty sure that things like Vigors and bio-electric shields didn't exist either. Even in his period in time.

After familiarizing himself with his new weapon, the teen checked the nearby crates and gathered up ammo for it and storing it away for when he needed it before pressing on.

Heading down a nearby flight of steps, visibilty became hard as smoke from nearby chimeneys made it hard to see more than a few feet ahead. Keeping the machine gun level, his eyes scanned through the smoke as he kept his back to a nearby wall so that no one could get him from behind.

When he reached halfway across a volley of rounds began peppering the wood and stones around him. Some of them scoring hits but were buffed by a yellow field that appeared around Reece's body when they made contact.

The teen returned fire as he moved into cover as the yellow field around him shattered like glass meaning that it was down. Hearing the sounds of a body dropping from the assault making him believe that he managed to take down at least one of them.

Reloading his weapon while his shield errected itself again, Reece heard running foot steps and pressed himself to the wall he was behind as a soldier with a club ran passed. Before he could turn around Reece had come out and slammed his boot into the soldier's knee and dropping him to a kneeling position.

He quickly smashed the butt of his machine gun into the back of the man's head with a loud crack before taking aim at a shadow he could see moving through the smoke and opening fire.

The following gun battle lasted a few minutes. Reece having to throw a couple fire-grenades and a Possession to even the odds as more soldiers came crawling out of the woodwork.

A couple airships were stationed nearby with turrets set up that kept the teen pinned down while a squad of soldiers moved in and took cover behind a bunch of crates and pillars. Another Possession had turned one of the turrets against them and mowed the armed men down before they had a chance to fall back.

Reece gulped down a small Salt before throwing a fire-grenade at the other turret with machine gun fire added for insurance as the automated weapon was destroyed.

Gathering all that he could from the dead. The teen kept moving so that he wasn't boxed in by any more hostiles. Taking on a couple more turrets and a small squad of soldiers as he kept pushing his way across the rooftops, and hopefully closer to the monument where the girl was being held.

When the last soldier fell, Reece leapt off of the roof and used his sky-hook to latch on to a lift hook on a nearby building. Using the momentum to catapult himself forward and on to solid ground, bending his knees to cushion the impact as he looked around for any more hostiles.

The sound of airships told him that more were on their way, he needed to get out of the open before they found him again.

Seeing a set of double doors leading into the large house where he had landed, Reece swapped his machine gun for his pistol and treaded across the patio while keeping his eyes and ears open. Pushing one of the doors open and moving inside and locking it behind him as he now stood in someone's kitchen.

"Violence is not the answer!" Reece spun around with his pistol up hearing a man's voice coming from the next room. "As much as I support her cause and her people, blood must not be shed."

"What do you expect these poor negroes to do?" asked a woman from the same room as the teen headed to the door and pushed it open a crack and saw a husband and wife talking. Printing presses were set up around them with stacks upon stacks of flyers set up all over.

"How they treat them...it was bound to happen!" the wife continued.

The husband shook his head, "Violence is not a forgone conclusion."

Remembering the situation at hand, Reece pushed the door open and slowly walked inside. Keeping his weapon lowered so that he was less hostile.

Looking up from their conversation, the couple were a little shocked at his sudden arrival. The teen raised his hand as a sign of peace, "Just passing through, I'm not here to start trouble." he said calmly.

The husband looked at his hand that held the gun and gasped seeing the tattoo. "It's him!" he exclaimed to his wife motioning to his hand. "The one that they're after!"

Outside, the sounds of airships closing in got louder alerting the three. "You must go! They're looking for you!" the wife whispered grabbing his free hand and pulling him through the house toward the back.

Passing by several rooms that had beds and medical supplies set up with wounded and sick resting as the woman lead him to a study and another door that lead back outside. "Through here, be careful. Comestock's soldiers are patrolling the area." she warned.

Reece nodded, "Thank you, ma'am." he said pushing the door open a crack and peering outside.

A couple soldiers moved in and around various stands and vending machines set up in the courtyard. Going out into the open like this would have been a big mistake. He needed to play this safe so that he could slip past them without being seen.

He needed a distraction.

Summoning his Vigor abilities, he launched a Possession into the closest soldier. A moment later, the man raised his own machine gun and began gunning down his friends.

Thrown off by the sudden attack, the other soldiers went to restrain their possessed colleague. None of them noticing a young man slip out of a house nearby, moving from stand to stand remaining out of sight as he put distance between himself and them.

Reece crouched down behind a food cart when he saw three soldiers run past toward where the possessed man was still trying to kill the others. When the coast was clear he stepped out and jogged over to the other side of the large courtyard. Using the angel monument in the distance as his guide as he approached a gate with a symbol of an eye on the arch above.

Making sure that no one had seen him, the teen pushed the gate open and went inside. Shutting the gate behind him as he turned to face the mansion that was before him.

A flock of crows scattering in all directions upon his arrival as he approached a statue that was placed in the center of the walkway. Depicting Comstock fighting a large serpent with the inscription _**'Comstock Fights the Serpent of Nations'**_

Looking up from the statue at the larger version of the eye-symbol that he had seen on the properties archway on the front of the mansion. Reece couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding coming from the building.

 _"I don't have a lot of options. Not with Comstock's men dogging me like this."_ he thought narrowing his eyes. _"Gotta push forward. No other choice."_ Raising his pistol, he approached the front door to the estate, ready to take on what was inside.

 **A/N: The first few steps into Columbia and Reece has already been given the hospitable welcome of the citizens, and things will only get harder the farther along he goes. Even though he's able to put aside the sickness of taking lives, the worse is yet to come in his travels.**

 **Keep the reviews coming guys!**


	4. The Prophet

**A/N: Two chapters in a day, sounds like my usual MO to be perfectly honest.**

 **From a review posted by one of you readers, I kind of went in a odd direction with the use of Salts. Considering in actuality they are inhaled instead of ingested. I did this on purpose, considering that the Vigors are ingested I thought about going the same route with how the Salts work as well. It may be incorrect with how things are supposed to be in the Bioshock, but I figured I'd make a few unorthodox changes here and there to keep things interesting.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Bioshock.**

Have you ever been someplace where you didn't feel welcome?

It was pretty safe to say that Reece was feeling that in spades at the moment as he stood in the middle of the entrance room of the mansion belonging to the 'Fraternal Order of the Raven'. The air permeated with the smell of spoiled food that sat in bowls in various spots and bird shit since it would seem a large flock of crows had made this place their home.

Keeping his wits about them, the teen crossed the dirty mable floor and into the buildings foyer where a statue was set in the middle with a flight of stairs behind it. Looking at the monument, Reece felt shock at first, then anger bubble up in his stomach.

The large scale likeness of John Wilkes Booth loomed over the room like a stone sentinel. Flintlock pistol held in his outstreched hand as if taking aim at an unseen target.

 _"These assholes respect the man that killed President Lincoln?!"_ His hatred of the people of this city had increased by leaps and bounds. Then again he wasn't surprised by such a sight considering what had happened at the raffle not even two hours ago.

Shaking his head, Reece looked around the room for anything of use. Being careful not to disturb the crows that had made nests at the statue's feet before making his way into the room on the left of the foyer.

He made it about three steps in when he saw he wasn't alone. Three men had been seated around a table drinking when they perked up at his intrusion.

They just starred at one another for a few seconds, neither side making a move as though they were trying to make sense of the situation.

Reece shrugged, "The door was unlocked." he said breaking the ice. The three men leapt from the table drawing their weapons. Reece launched a fire-grenade at the center of their group, the following explosion sent them hurdling in different directions. Lighting one of them on fired as he screamed in agony.

Aiming his pistol, the teen drilled a round through the heads of the other two men before they could get back up as silence filled the room once more. Checking the bodies quick before moving on, Reece streaded through a library that connected to the bar room. Now fully alert with the knowledge that he wasn't alone in the large house.

Another man leaned out from behind a shelf and fired a pistol in his direction. The rounds bouncing off of his shield forcing him into cover, waiting for the gunfire to stop before leaning out and returning fire.

One round clipped the man's shoulder spinning him around, leaving him exposed as two more punched through his back and out his chest dropping him dead to the floor.

Coast clear, Reece checked the remaining rooms on the ground floor of the mansion for any more surprises. Scavenging for anything he could use when he made sure that there weren't more hostiles. Finding the door leading farther in locked, he doubled back to the foyer and went up the stairs behind the Booth statue to the second floor. Going through the double doors and down the hallway when he heard someone speaking.

"And so, the Prophet lead us into peking. where we demonstrated to the Sodum Below the true mission our Founders had given us."

Stepping into a wide open room, Reece looked down from the railing and saw he was now standing on the second floor of what looked like a church. Pews lining the floor infront of a stage set up infront of another mural of Comstock as a man in robes that resembled a bird preached to others dressed the same way.

"And when the Mandarins and hypocrites of Washington betrayed him, our Prophet did not heel." the man continued. "He did not come crawling for their forgiveness...Like our fathers broke from the Great Apostale, our Prophet broke with these so called patriots..."

Shaking his head in distain, Reece saw that the only way forward was through a door at the back of the room on the ground floor. Turning right, he headed down a nearby flight of stairs and slowly approached the gathered people from behind while taking out his machine gun and channeling his fire powers.

The group didn't notice his presense as he stood at the back of the room while the man preached more hateful bullshit to his followers.

Having heard more than enough from the derranged cult leader, Reece whistled loudly making them all spin around to see him standing there. "You know what I think? I think Booth was a gutless coward shooting a man in the back instead of having the balls to do if face to face!"

The gathered people reached into their robes and took out an array of weapons, but the teen had planned on this as he threw a couple fire-grenades that ignited half the group and sent the rest into cover away from the blasts.

Out of power, Reece opened fire with his machine gun taking out a couple more before pressing his back to a nearby pillar as the remaining worshipers returned fire.

Slapping in a fresh clip, the teen didn't have time to pull out a Salt to replenish his Vigors and settled to stick with his firearms. Spinning out of cover, he sprayed rounds all across the room. One of the worshippers ran at him with a knife raised as his gun clicked empty again.

Dropping the machine gun, Reece grabbed the man's arm. Twisting it around hard and forcing him to drop the blade as he spun the attacker around with his arm wrapped around his throat tightly. Using him as a meat shield as he drew his pistol and fired at the remaining three people in the room.

Bullets peppered the struggling man splattering blood across the teen's clothes and face. With well placed headshots, he managed to put the remaining worshippers down before dropping the now lifeless corpse to the floor.

Reece's shield replenished, the pulse from the field cleaning the blood from his body while he reloaded his weapons and knocked back a Salt to get his powers back up to full again. He spent the next few minutes checking the room for ammo and other supplies before making his way to the door in the back that would hopefully lead him out of this house from hell.

But he paused at the alter that was set up on the stage. A yellow glow catching his attention making him curious.

Behind a stack of old books, sat a bottle of infusion standing out in the dimly lit room. "Well that's lucky." he said picking the shield formula up and chugging it down without a second thought. Feeling warmth spread through him as his shield became a little stronger.

Making his way out of the church-room and through an office. Reece stepped into an elevator and hit the switch. Riding the lift up to another floor and continuing on his path. Walking quietly through a couple dark rooms as he approached another set of doors.

"Why do you do this!?" he heard someone with a Chinese accent on the other side. "I just want to go back to my family!"

Moving a little faster, Reece pushed the door open only for it to stop because of a chain holding it in place. Inside, a man was strung up on a vertical table struggling to break free as a look of fear covered his face. "Nooo! No!" he screamed in terror as a flock of crows appeared out of thin air and began to attack him.

Blood splashed against the walls and floors as the vicious birds of prey tore into his flesh.

The teen looked away from the horror long enough to smash his steel toed boot against the door, splitting the wood as the chain was ripped out from the impact as he stormed inside spraying bullets at the attacking flock and making them dissipate into the air.

At the front of the room, a man wearing a black cloak and hood that covered his face with a small coffin straped to his back turned around facing a large opening before seeming to vanish into a swirl of feathers.

Rushing over to the wounded man, he set his weapon down and untied him. The man was in bad shape, the flock had torn large chunks of skin away revealing the pink muscle underneath. Blood gushed from the mortal injuries as he wheezed out each breath.

"Hang on! Let me help you!" Reece said gently setting the prisoner on the floor. The man looked up at him, blood bubbling out of his mouth as he tried to speak something. His body suddenly went limp and his head rolled to the side as what life he had left in him faded away.

Putting his head into his hands, Reece felt a heavy weight on his heart after seeing the man die. He sighed before reaching out and closing the now glazed over eyes. _"No one diserves to die like this."_ he thought bitterly before casting a glare at the room where the 'bird-man' had vanished.

Picking up his gun, he cocked the bolt back as he stalked inside with the intent on paying the bastard back for what he did to the prisoner.

The room was long, with high glass ceilings and trees lining the walls and floor like a make-shift forest. Large cages hung from a couple of branches that creaked back and forth on their chains filling the air with the eery sound.

Crows cawed from somewhere in the room, echoing off the walls and making the hair stand up on the back of his neck as he made his way through. Stepping over a few tree roots that broke up the walkway that lead from one end to the other.

When he was halfway in, a flock of crows came down from the ceiling. Converging together and forming the shape of the man he had seen before. Reece waisted no time unloading a whole clip from the machine gun into the cloaked figure before he vanished into a cloud of feathers.

Reloading quick, Reece summoned a fire-grenade to his hand and held it ready as he scanned for the freak. He didn't have to wait long as the figure reappeared on top of a nearby tree branch. Holding his hand out as a flock of crows burst into existance and flew in the teen's direction.

The fire-grenade was thrown into the coming flock and blasting them into ashes as he fired on the figure again only for him to pull another disappearing act. "Shit...I can't keep this up if the bastard keeps pulling a hoodini." he muttered looking for his target.

A thought occured to him. When he got his Vigors, he immediately knew how to use them along with how they could be utilized in certain ways.

Smirking, he conjured another fire-grenade to his hand. Only this time he 'cooked it' for a few seconds before tossing it on the ground in front of him. Instead of exploding, the flaming ball sat on the ground glowing bright orange as though it were waiting for something.

Taking a few steps back to get a little distance. Reece waited for the freak to show himself again. When he reappeared, the cloaked figure charged for the teen with a flock surrounding him as he closed the distance fast.

The moment he stepped on to the trap that had been set up, the ground exploded into a blaze like a flaming landmine. The 'bird-man' was lit up like a roman candle, the flames burning away at the crows surrounding him as he flailed his arms in an attempt to put himself out.

Seeing the opprotunity, Reece squeezed the trigger and pumped an entire mag into the flaming freak until he eventually dropped to the ground. Twitching for a few seconds before going completely still.

Approaching lightly, barrel of his machine gun smoking. The teen nudged the smoking corpse with the tip of his boot while keeping the gun aimed at the back of the man's head. No movement.

Letting out a breath of relief, he lowered his machine gun as he checked the body. If the Fireman had a new Vigor on him...then maybe...

"Bingo." he said pulling out a new bottle from the charred robes. The stuff inside glowed a light blue and had the head of a crow acting as the top. The label reading, _**'Murder of Crows'**_ Reece shivered remembering what had happened to the Chinese prisoner. The idea of sending a barrage of deadly birds to tear people part made him feel a little sick.

Sighing, he pulled the top off and putting the opening to his lips. _"It's them or me."_ he thought as the fluid drained down his throat.

It was murkey, and had a nasty after-taste that couldn't really be described. But he managed to force it down long enough for his body to begin adjusting to the new power being introduced to it.

Reece's head felt a little fuzzy, swaying on his feet as he started to lose balance and his vision darkened around the edges. A crow with a chunk of flesh in its mouth flew down and perched on his left forearm. It flew away when his arms began to feel prickly and turn pale as black feathers forced their way out of his skin. His nails extending and curving inward into sharp talons.

A moment later everything went back to normal as the knowledge of how to use the new Vigor settled in his mind.

The door at the back of the room burst open and three soldiers burst into the room guns drawn. "There he is! The False Shepard! Get him!" shouted one of them as they prepared to fire.

Feeling his new power course down his left arm, Reece snapped his hand out sending a cluster of black feathers shooting into the air that turned into a flock of crows. The birds screeched as they flew at the startled gunmen and began tearing at their faces. Allowing the teen to reload his machine gun and finish them off when the flock dissipated.

Bile rose into the back of the teen's throat seeing the carnage, but managed to keep it in place as he made his way out of the room and toward the back of the mansion and back out into the sunlight.

"The False Shepard, this anarchist, is either a mulatto dwarf or a french man with a missing left eye. No more than four foot and nine inches." echoed through the air from a gunships PA system out in the open.

Reece couldn't help but chuckle, "Morons. Though I guess it works in my favor." he muttered as he looked up and saw Monument Island very close. "I need to get over there..." he saw a gondola station roughly halfway found it was his best bet.

Taking out his sky-hook, he leapt from the balcony and latched on to a lift hook on the building ahead. Hop-scotching his way from hook to hook as he flew through the open air toward the stations front steps.

Smashing the end of the sky-hook against an unsuspecting soldier's head with a loud crack as he landed on the ground.

His shield flashed as machine gun rounds rebounded off of it from another soldier on a landing at the top of a set of stairs. Reece dropped low and aimed with his pistol and managed a clear head shot putting an end to the attack before making his way up. Checking various crates along the way as he approached the doors leading inside.

X

It turned out that Comstock's forces had the whole station on lock down. They knew that he was heading their way and they had been ready for him when he walked into the station.

The resulting gun battle was a long one. Reece had lost his shield multiple times, expelled dozens of rounds and used two bottles of Salts putting down all the soldiers and a turret that had been set up in the corner.

He got through it, but not without getting injured in the process.

Sitting on the floor with his back to a desk, Reece hissed as he removed his jacket and hoodie, rolling up his sleeve to get a better look at the wound he had recieved. One of the soldiers got a lucky shot off when his shield went down before he could react fast enough.

Thankfully it was just a graze, but it burned like hell and was bleeding still.

Going through his backpack, the teen pulled out the first aid kit he had picked up earlier and took out a small bottle of iodine, gaze pads and medical tape. Opening the brown bottle first, he braced himself as he dumped some of the cleaning agent on his wound and gritted his teeth as the burn multiplied several times.

Blinking away the pain, he picked up a gaze pad and pressed it to the wound before taking the medical tape and strapping it down tight enough to keep it in place but not enough to disrupt blood flow.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he rested his head back against the desk as he felt the adrenaline wearing off. Fatigue beginning to creep into his bones from the constant fighting he'd been doing. He was used to fighting thanks to his MMA training, but this was on a whole nother level. He was outnumbered hundreds to one, and there was no telling what else waited for him out side the closer he got to his objective.

Reaching into the bag, Reece pulled out a soda and a bag of chips he picked up back at the Blue Ribbon. Opening the drink and gulping down half its contents before tearing into the chips. Looking at the dead bodies around him as he munched on the snack slowly. "Wonder what my family would say if they saw me now?" he wondered with a humorless chuckle.

Picking up the soda to take another swig, he paused when he saw the poster on the wall across from him. The image of the angel monument was displayed with a lamb in its chest. Light glowing around the animal as though it were touched by the heavens.

Getting up, he approached the poster to get a better look. He could now read the top of the image. _**'The Tower Protects the Lamb.'**_ That's when it clicked. _"The Lamb...is in the tower. Elizabeth is the Lamb!"_ he realized with wide eyes.

Looking down, he felt his stomach drop when he read the rest of the poster. _**'From the False Shepard.'**_

False Shepard...Lamb...everything made sense now. This whole city somehow knew that he was coming and had warnings everywhere. Not only that, they knew that he was going to the tower to rescue the girl!

But how? It couldn't be possible to know something like this. He was from the 21st century for Christ sake! How could these people know about him coming here when he himself didn't even know it?

Running a hand through his hair, Reece started pacing. His mind just couldn't wrap around this new piece of the puzzle. It just didn't fit. He was missing something, something big. And sadly the only way for him to figure it out was to get to the tower and get Elizabeth out of this god-forsaken place.

Finishing his light snack, he packed up his supplies and stored his hoodie with them before tossing his denim jacket back on with his pack. Grabbing his weapons and making sure they were loaded before making his way to the exit.

Hitting up a vending machine along the way and restocking on Salts, ammo and medical supplies.

Heading back outside, he saw a gondola already docked and breathed a sigh of relief as he jogged down the steps toward it. Only to skid to a stop when he saw the _**'Out of Order'**_ sign hanging from the controls. "Dammit...now what?" he wondered looking up at the tower just ahead.

Looking up to his right, he saw the railway system that was networked around the whole city. The rails stretched off into the same direction as Monument Island meaning that it was the only way to get there.

"If the cops can do it." he said to himself while taking out his sky-hook. "So can I."

Getting a running start, he jumped up on to the railing and launching himself upward. Attaching the device to the rail and squeezing another trigger causing the hooks to spin and send him zooming off down the tracks.

His heart leapt into his throat and his stomach knotted as he flew downward and shooting back up again. Zipping down the rails with the speed rivaling a rollercoaster as he dangled by his one arm.

"WHOA!" he shouted as he shot through the city. Wind whipping past him as he adjusted the speed on the sky-hook enough so that he didn't feel his insides trying to shoot out.

"YAAAAAAHHHHHOOOOOOOO!" he exclaimed as he spun around a tight turn. Zipping past airships and buildings alike along the ride. A grin filling his face as he felt excitement fill him to the core. This was amazing! Who would have through traveling by air could be so much fun?

Seeing a supply crate blocking the rest of the skyway, Reece slowed down his sky-hook and stopped at a maintenance station. Leaping off and on to the floor and quickly dispatching a nearby guard before he could he could get a shot off.

Flipping the control lever, the crate blocking the path zipped down the lines before the teen leapt up on to the rail and continued his own travel. Monument Island getting closer and closer with each passing second.

But there was another problem. A bunch of crates were stacked up blocking the path again.

With no other choice, Reece looked off to the side and saw a lift hook on a nearby building. When he was close enough, the threw himself off the skyline and latched on to the buildings hook. "Now that, was a rush." he said to himself dropping down to the ground.

The traveler looked down and saw two police officers speaking to one another. Catching them by surprise by jumping from the hook, driving his sky-hook into the one on the left and his fist into the face of the one on the right. Sending both men crashing into the wall behind them and slumping motionless to the ground.

With the area clear, Reece used his sky-hook to latch on to a lift hook next to the balcony above the downed cops. Using the higher elevation to get past the crates and back on to the skyline. Reaching the end of the rails in a few minutes, he dropped to the balcony of a building close to the monument.

The sound of multiple guns cocking made his heart stop. Standing in front of him were two dozen soldiers, weapons trained on Reece in the perfect interperatation of a firing squad.

He had been pretty lucky up to this point. But his shield wouldn't withstand this much gunfire and remain active. And he'd be torn to shreads before he could fire his own weapon or use his Vigors. _"This ain't good."_ he thought while preparing to fight regardless.

"Enough! Stand Down!" boomed a loud, powerful voice over the buildings PA system.

Every soldier dropped their weapons to the ground before going down into a kneeling position and began praying. "He who crossed the Delaware with flaming sword and the wings of angels...watch over me and give me strength." said one of the men as if in a trans.

"Father Washington...hear my prayer..." said another in the same calm tone.

Reece drew his own machine gun and tip-toed his way through the collection of praying soldiers and into the building. More soldiers were lined up on either side of the dark room leading toward a lift at the back.

Stepping on, the wall infront sprang to life as a black and white projection started playing. Revealing the visage of a man that he had seen in every corner of Columbia since his arrival.

The Prophet, Zachary Comstock.

Keeping his eyes on the projection, Reece pulled the lever infront of him causing the lift to acsend.

"I know why you've come, False Shepard." said Comstock. "You have come from the Sodom Below to lead my Lamb astray, but thy crook is bent and thy path is twisted."

The teen rested the machine gun against his shoulder as he looked at the man behind the floating city. "Why do you assume I'm leading her astray? You don't know me, Comstock." he said evenly.

"I know far more than you believe...Reece Vega." said the Prophet making Reece's breath hitch. "You are an agent of chaos, sent here by the Sodom Below to take what they desire most; my Lamb. Your mission to take what I have already liberated will prove your folly."

 _"Already liberated?_ " the traveler wondered. "What does that mean? Did you steal Elizabeth from somewhere?!" he demanded.

"Don't pretend that you don't already know." said Comstock. "The avarice possessed by your masters knows no limits. Their gluttonist need to obtain what is not theirs will be their downfall. For my Lamb will rain fire down upon the Sodom Below from the heavens!"

Gritting his teeth, Reece pointed at the projection. "Those are some powerful words coming from a man that broke one of the Ten Commandments! The people around here look at you as though you're some kind of God trying to save them from the horrors of the world! But the only thing your breeding is deception and racism! Everything the Founding Fathers fought to abolish in America!"

"And where I'm from, equality among men and women no matter the race or personal lifestyle is becoming a very strong reality."

The Prophet stroked his beard, "I see now...it makes sense. The way you speak, the way you dress. You survived our Reap, and your confusion about this city is very believable. You are not from this point in time." he said hitting the nail on the head.

Reece smirked, "103 years in the future, Comstock. And let me tell you, the world you know is a much different place."

"I see...what has become of the Sodom Below in the last century?" asked the Prophet genuinely curious.

"The Founding Fathers would have expected a little more in certain areas. But we are getting by the best we know how." said the teen before glaring at the man before him. "And we don't kidnap innocent girls and use them as a Messiah for a bunch of religious nut-jobs!"

Comstock shook his head, "From your actions and words alone, I can tell that the Founders' great nation has truely fallen from it's prime. The Sodom Below will burn much faster than we first believed." Reece snarled as the projection cut out and the elevator stopped at the top floor allowing him off.

"Return to the Sodom Below, traveler!" said the Prophet as the projection screen pulled away from the building revealing that it had been an airship as the teen ran along the halls of the building toward where he believed the exit was.

Rounding a corner, he was thrown back when an explosive blast blew a section of wall away. "Go back!" boomed Comstocks voice as Reece got back to his feet and seeing the airship that had fired on the building had lift hooks on the outside facing him.

Acting on instinct, he pulled out his sky-hook while holding his machine gun in his other hand. The teen leapt through the hole punched in the wall, latching the device on to the closest lift hook as the airship began to pull away from the building.

A door on the outside of the ship was kicked open and three soldiers ran out on to the outside deck guns blazing as they tried to shoot down the 'False Shepard' before he could get onboard.

With his shield absorbing most of the punishment, Reece hung in the air by his left arm as he aimed the machine gun with one hand and returned fire. Taking down two of the soldiers before catapulting himself forward and crushing the skull of the third with his sky-hook on impact.

A fourth soldier ran out of the open doorway where the others came from with a heavy club hoping to take the teen out fast. But his training kicked in at the last second, ducking under the blunt weapon as it swung through the air before delivering a hard knee to the man's gut.

With the wind knocked out of him, Reece grabbed the back of the soldier's neck and slammed his head against the railing next to them before tossing the man over the edge.

The deck now cleared, Reece reloaded his machine gun before making his way inside. One last soldier waited for him and was put down with a quick controlled burst from his automated weapon as he walked through the door leading into the cockpit of the airship.

One of the things he noticed right away was that there was a small alter dedicated to Comstock with lit candles all over it. Another thing was the woman wearing all white praying infront of said alter.

"Excuse me, ma'am." Reece said heading over to the controls of the zeppelin. Whether the woman heard him or not she didn't show it as she went about her business.

Stepping up to the controls, Reece put his weapon down and looked over everything closely. He could drive an array of vehicles thanks to his mechanic studies, but flying an old airship hadn't been part of one of his elective classes at school.

"Alright. It doesn't seem that difficult." he muttered pulling one of the levers back about half way and another all the way.

The zeppelin started to make a turn when an airship sprang up in front of it. Standing on the deck with three soldiers kneeling down around him was Comstock. The old man's gaze shooting through the air and locking with Reece's as he spoke into a microphone.

"The Lord forgives everything." he said with his voice coming out of the ship's PA system. "However, I am just a Prophet...so I don't have to." The ship began to float away as the Prophet muttered an "Amen."

"Amen." echoed a feminine voice behind him. Reece turned around slowly and saw the praying woman holding a lit torch above her head. The smell of fuel hitting the teen's nose when he realized what was happening.

"NO!" he shouted as the woman dropped the torch. Setting herself and a large portion of the ship on fire at the same time. "Jesus Fucking Christ!" Reece grabbed his gun and ran for the exit, leaping over the flames as they began growing in intensity with each passing second.

All of the doors were sealed off from the blaze, and the zeppelin was going down fast. The only way out that Reece could see was through the large cargo opening in the floor. With time running out, he grabbed the lever and pulled it down allowing the large hatch to open as wind began whipping into the doomed ship.

Looking down, the traveler saw a sky-line passing underneath him. He shouldered the machine gun and took out his sky-hook before throwing himself out of the zeppelin as it decended into the clouds out of sight.

Now free falling, Reece held out his arm and hit the trigger on the sky-hook, snagging one of the rails of the skyway and zipping away from the scene at top speed. _"That was close...too close."_ he couldn't help but think as he rode the rails.

By a stroke of good luck, this portion of the skyway went right past the front of Monument Island. Which had been a huge relief as he dropped down on to the stone walkway that lead inside.

Looking over his shoulder, Reece saw a bright orange flash below the clouds and knew that the airship he had just been on exploded. Shaking his head, he walked up the steps and past the barricades that had been set up to keep people out as he finally gained access to the place where the girl was being held.

He was almost home free...

 **A/N:...anyone else believe that? With Comstock now personally involved, things will definitely take a much more drastic turn. And Reece will need a lot more than what he's packing if he hopes to get out of Columbia alive.**

 **The meeting with Elizabeth is next, and with my updating rate it'll be happening sooner before later.**


	5. Elizabeth

**A/N: Another new day, another new addition to the ever growing list. And given I've finished up making repairs to all of the chapters from the last time I posted this story, I'm ready to start making new ones now. It's been a long time coming and I can't wait to get that far to show you all what I got.**

 **However, I'll keep the update rate stable so that everyone can ease back into it. It's not in my nature to just drop all the chapters at once, I'd prefer to lead everything up to the defining moment.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Bioshock.**

Monument Island was built like a large and beautiful park. Surrounded with various trees, flowers, fountains and sculptures that made the place seem very relaxing and peaceful for all those who visited.

In the center of the island stood the angel shaped tower that overlooked not only the island itself, but most of Columbia as well. The structure was surrounded by high walls and iron bar gates that were chained up tight to keep people from getting too close.

This was where Reece found himself as he looked for the best way to get into the tower and find Elizabeth. "Why the hell would they lock her up in this place?" he thought outloud while backing up from the locked gate in front of him.

He looked up at the large tower as he mulled things over. The things Comstock was spouting off when they talked sounded like a lot of religious BS that barely seemed to make sense. The guy had to be on some kind of power trip, and with the way he could sway the people of the floating city was downright unnerving.

If he could get someone to throw their life away in an attempt to kill him with just a few words...what else was the man capable of?

Snapping out of his thoughts, Reece noticed a lift hook attached to the side of a pillar above the locked gate. Seeing that it was the only way he could get in, he pulled out the sky-hook and activated the magnet in the hooks. Launching himself into the air and hooking the target before swinging forward and dropping down to the ground. Rolling with his landing to cushion the fall and standing upright again.

Swapping the sky-hook for the pistol. The teen walked up the steps before him and up to the large double doors that lead into the tower. "Alright." he said cocking the slide back on the sidearm as he prepared for a fight. "Let's do this."

He opened the doors, gun ready and Vigors powered up as he surveyed the empty foyer. A small-scale version of the tower sat in the middle of the room with crates stacked up on one side and a wall of lockers on the other.

Doing a quick walkthrough, Reece found mostly lab coats, rubber boots, gloves and gas masks stored in the lockers with a handful of personal belongings. The place was empty, and from the looks of things everyone who had been here had been forced to leave in a hurry.

The question is, why?

Putting that in the back of his mind, Reece crossed the room and through another set of doors that lead farther inside. Walking down a long corridor until he found himself in a room filled with various electronic devices with chalkboards and other data readouts lining the walls.

The board infront of him caught his attention. It showed four stages of a person's growth from 'Age 1', 'Age 5', 'Age 13' and 'Age 19'. The last part on the board was in the shape of a young woman with data surrounding each step from height and weight, to brainwave activity. "What the hell were they doing in this place?" he asked as he began looking over the rest of the room.

In the next half of the room behind the readouts, a large station was set up with electrical bolts coming out of the walls and striking testla coils at the top. Three lit levers sat in the front makking the teen curious. Approaching the one on the far left, he reached out and pulled the lever.

A light came on revealing a brown teddy bear inside a glass container. A label at the top reading _**'Age 4: Companion'**_. Energy surged from the top of the station and stuck the stuffed animal making it shake and distort for a moment before dissipating.

The once brown teddy bear was now a redish/orange color making Reece's jaw drop. "How...?" he couldn't even form a sentence as he tried to comprehend what just happened. It was like some kind of transmutaion or something of that nature...what kind of place was this?

Shaking his head, he decided to keep going and moved around the station into another corridor that had several rooms. on either side. Going to each room, the traveler felt the blood leave his face the longer he looked around.

It was like a shop of goddamn horrors. Lab equipment, surgical instruments, chairs and beds with restraints, along with more read outs on the walls keeping logs on what progress was made with the 'subject'. "What were these fucking monsters doing to her?" he asked feeling his blood boil as he entered another room.

A dull red glow filled the air when Reece walked into what looked like a developing studio for film. Looking up, he saw black and white photographs of Elizabeth doing various things. And in certain ones she was in various stages of undress.

Without thinking, he conjured a small ball of fire to his hand and burned the pictures to ashes as he stomped out of the room, the red tint in his vision no longer the cause of the red light in the room.

The last room had a projection reel set up showing small clips of the girl doing daily routines in different rooms of where she was being kept. Reece's anger faded seeing the one he was looking for brushing her hair, singing, eating dinner, and painting something on a canvas. _"Have they been watching her, her whole life?"_ he thought leaving the room and entering the doors at the end of the hallway.

The next room was lit up like a power plant. Electricity surged through the air and centered around a large device in the in the middle of the room. Large sub-woofers lined the walls emitting a low pulse that made a loud hum resound among the stone walls of the chamber.

Various signs were pinned up around the room. One that made him pause said; _**'Warning: Siphon is Dangerous While Leeching Specimen.'**_ a shutter ran through him at the thought of what 'leeching' meant and what it had done to Elizabeth.

 _"I'm getting her out of here. No matter what it takes."_ he told himself as he moved through the chamber with more purpose in his steps. Passing by signs that mentioned something about a '168 Hour Quarantine' and not touching the speciment as he entered an elevator. Slamming his fist against the switch as he rode it up the tower.

Taking deep calming breaths to ease the rage that had been flowing through him after seeing what they had been doing in this place. No matter what twisted reason these freaks might have had, that girl didn't deserve the life that had been forced upon her. Especially if she had been taken from her real home by Comstock.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened to a clean room with black and white tiled floors. A sign saying _**'Specimen Observation'**_ sat above a metal shutter with a lever in front of it.

Reece put his pistol away and approached the shutter. Pulling the lever in front of him and causing the metal wall to slide apart and reveal an elegant room beyond.

But no one was there.

Looking down the hallway next to him, the teen moved down where a panel on the wall was set up. The names of various rooms listed on the panel with _**'Specimen Location'**_ on it. Reece pressed the button on the side and the light next to _**'Dressing Room'**_ lit up. "That's where she is." he said to himself as the steel door next to him slid into the ceiling allowing him passage.

Moving along the wooden walkway, he entered the next section of where they were keeping the girl and found another shutter with a camera set up next to it. _"Sick bastards."_ he thought with gritted teeth as he pulled the lever in front of him. When the shutter slid open he gasped.

Elizabeth stood right in front of him. Her slim frame standing almost a head shorter than him with dark-brown hair tied back in a low ponytail wearing a long-sleeve white blouse with blue cuffs and collar. A blue ascot was tied loosely around her neck and a long blue skirt flowed down almost to her ankles.

Her light blue eyes looked right at him, but didn't seem to notice him meaning that this was most likely a two way mirror. Which would explain how the people that ran the tower was able to keep tabs on her so easily.

Though, all of this was lost on Reece who was openly staring at the girl as she seemed to be singing with a picture of the effel tower clenched in her hands. His green eyes trailed down when he saw something shine in the light and noticed that she was missing half of her right pinkey finger. The slight deformity being covered by a silver thimbal while she swayed her hips lightly back and forth in tendam with her singing.

 _"She's...she's beautiful..."_ he thought in awe as Elizabeth turned and skipped out of the room. The shutter closing not long after making him blink and get his head straight again. _"Have to stay focused. Need to get her out of here."_ he reminded himself as he moved down the adjacent corrdor to another locator panel which revealed that she was now in the _**'Dining Room'**_.

Following the open path to the next observation room, he opened the shutter to find Elizabeth gazing at a painting of the effel tower that she must have been working on. It was a pretty good piece of artwork, she must have been working on it for quite a while.

She reached forward with both hands looking like she was going to tear the canvas in half, then something started to happen. A small sliver a light started to brighten in the room making Reece lean in a little closer to see what was going on. "What is she-"

Elizabeth threw her arms out. Everything in the room was sent flying and the reinforced glass cracked around the edges from the force as a portal was ripped open revealing the outside of a movie theater. The marchi letters spelling something in french with the effel tower in the distance.

Reece's jaw hung low and his eyes buldged out. "What...the...fuck..." he said in awe.

What the portal was showing was all grainy, like a tv set that needed to be adjusted before it slowly came into better focus. Elizabeth gazed at everything shown in wonder before a set of headlights from a firetruck sped toward her.

The girl paniced and brought her arms together sealing the portal before the large vehicle could hit her. Putting her head in her hands, Elizabeth ran from the dining room as the shutter closed.

Supporting himself on the console before him, Reece tried to wrap his head around what he had seen. _"She...She just tore open a portal to Paris!_ " he shouted in his head. Then the details set in. A firetruck had been what scared her into closing the portal, and he knew damn well that vehicles that ran on fossile fuels wouldn't exist for another couple decades.

And even though he barely passed french in highschool, he knew full well that the sign on the theater that said _**'La Revanche Du Jedi'**_ translated to _**'Revenge of the Jedi'**_ which had been pretty big back in 1983 before the movie people changed the name to _**'Return of the Jedi'**_.

That's when he realized; Elizabeth had just made an opening that tore through the fabric of space and time itself! Creating a bridge from here in 1912 to 1983 France!

Running a hand through his hair, Reece took a deep breath. "This...is too much for one fucking day." he muttered as he leaned back and looked at the ceiling. But something about the situation did make sense. If this girl could open rips in time, then it explained how he got there as well.

Someone or some _thing_ must have done the same when he was dying in the ocean and brought him into the past. And if this was the case, then that meant Elizabeth was key to helping him get back home.

"I'll worry about this later, right now I better find Elizabeth and make our getaway." he said outloud as he went through the door on his left and followed the next section of path around the observation area and up a ramp to the next viewing station.

The shutter opened revealing a grand library. The walls covered with book shelves and filled to the brim with enough hardcovers his university would have been impressed with. The main floor had several comfy chairs and desks set up with writing equipment giving the impression that this was were she studied.

Elizabeth stood on a landing at the top of a flight of stairs, gazing out the window before her at the beautiful sky beyond. Her right hand resting on the glass as she watched the clouds pass by.

Reece found himself doing the same to the two way mirror in front of him. "She looks...so lonely..." he couldn't help but say. She was like the princesses in his sisters' old story books. Locked away from the world against her will in a tower that was unreachable by those who wished to help her.

Clenching his fist against the glass, he made a vow to take her far away from this place. And burn any son of a bitch dumb enough to try and stop him. That in mind, he turned to the next door and pushed it open. Putting a good amount of strength behind it as the heavy iron door opened up to a long corridor to another door.

Twisting the metal wheel, he forced the door open as it opened up to the outside of the tower. The wind whipping hard against him as he managed to get out in the sunlight, seeing almost all of Columbia from his vantage point.

"Holy shit!" he gritted out as he covered his face with his arm as he started moving along the small fenced off walkway that led farther up. _"Safe to say it's game over if I take a spill out here."_

Fighting against the wind, he walked up a set of steps slowly toward the Monument's head. Taking one step at a time so that he could easily maintain his balance and not get knocked off the high point.

Reaching the angel's cheek, Reece pushed another door open and slipped inside while slamming it shut behind him to keep the wind out. The interior within the head of the monument was the same as the rest of the tower, the door in front of him sliding up allowing him passage.

The next room lead to another door that was across a metal platform supported by chains. The teen's steel-toed boots echoed around the round room with each step he took, pausing halfway when he heard a loud groan coming from somewhere close.

Being a mechanic, he knew that any metal equipment making that kind of noise was never a good thing. Looking down, he felt the floor under him begin to shutter as the chains let out a rattling groan. "Oh Fu-" the chains broke and the ground collapsed from under him sending the teen plummeting down.

"-UUUUUUUCCCCCCKKKKKK!" he yelled out. Arms lashing around trying to grab on to anything to stop his fall. Luckily, his hand managed to grab on to a railing that had been on his left. Reece hissed as the wound on his left arm flared up from the sudden stop as he dangled above the floor below him.

Reaching his other hand up to grab the railing, the teen began to pull himself up on to the landing, only to meet a pair of startled blue eyes looking back at him. "Uhhhh...Hi?" he said not knowing what else he could have.

Elizabeth screamed making him jump, letting go of the railing by accident and fall the rest of the way to the floor. Crashing through a wooden table in the process as he landed painfully on to the solid surface.

"Ohhhh...no more falling down..." he groaned as he slowly rolled over on to his hands and knees to push himself back up while trying to ignore the ache in his spine. That was easier said than done when a hardcover slammed against the top of his head. "OW! What the fuck?!" he shouted looking up.

Elizabeth chucked another book, then another, and another. Forcing Reece to cover his head and face while trying to dodge around the large projectiles. "Look-whoa!-Can't we talk for-OW!-A minute?! I'm not here to hurt you!" he managed to squeeze out.

The young woman crossed the room with a large book on Quantum Physics cluched tightly in her hands ready to bring down on his head. "Who are you?!" she demanded.

Reece kept his hands up as a sign of surrender as he got back to his feet. "My name is Reece. And I'm a...friend. I've come to get you out of this place." he said reaching out to her, hoping she wouldn't try to hit him with the large book she was wielding.

"Get away!" she shouted pulling herself back and preparing to swing her 'weapon'. Reece brought up his right forearm and blocked the attack, then a second that sent the book clattering to the floor.

"Easy! I'm not here to hurt you, I promise." the teen said trying to calm her down. Elizabeth looked at the dropped book before looking into his eyes. And Reece had to admit that they were very hypnotic. Filled with innocence and fear, but also curiosity. Like she was looking at something that she had never seen before.

Reaching her hand out, her soft and delicate fingers lightly grazing the side of his face. "Are you...are you real?" she asked with a tremble in her voice while taking her hand back slowly.

Reece smiled seeing her no longer hostile with him, "The last time I checked."

Before anything else could be said, the gold statue of Comstock that had been set up beside the shelves next to them began to let out a whistling tune. Elizabeth gasped and looked downright terrified as she turned to her 'visitor'. "He's coming! Y-You have to go!" she whisper/yelled, pushing him back a few steps.

"Why? What's going on? Who's coming?" Reece asked looking around the room.

Her fear-filled blue eyes locked with his confused green ones as she trembled. "You don't want to be here when he arrives." A loud clank/whistling sound resounded through the whole tower making her look up. "Just a minute! I'm getting dressed!" she shouted to the ceiling.

The traveler didn't like this, or the feeling he got when he heard the noises. Whatever had just got here was big... _very big_. "We need to get out of here." he said as Elizabeth scrambled around the room in a panic trying to find a place to hide him so that whoever arrived didn't see him.

"There's no way out, trust me. I've looked." the sound resonated again making her jump. "STOP IT! YOU'RE TOO IMPATIENT, THAT'S ENOUGH!" she shouted at whatever was above.

Looking around the room, Reece saw a door on the other end of the library behind her. Large and reinforced, built almost like a vault door to keep the one that it housed inside no matter what tried to open it. "What about that door over there?" he asked walking around her and toward it.

"It's locked, always has been. And I don't know where the key would be." Elizabeth said as she continued to flitter around.

 _"Key?"_ reaching into his front pocket, he pulled out the key he had been given back at the lighthouse. Looking at the lock on the door, he saw the same symbols on the top and bottom of the lock that were on the handle. A bird and a cage. "What about this?" he asked showing her.

"What about it?" she demanded not paying attention.

"Is this the key?" Reece asked causing her to whirl around. Eyes locked on to the key before lunging at it like it was the most important thing on the planet.

"Give it to me!" she shouted snatching it out of his hand. Running over to the door and inserting it into the lock.

The traveler tilted his head as he walked after her, "Why would they put the lock on the inside? It doesn't make sense." he said in observation.

"I don't think they anticipated someone falling from the ceiling with the means to my freedom." she said glancing at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Touch'e." he admitted as the locks on the door came undone loudly and it swung open slowly. Elizabeth stood frozen for a moment, almost unbelieving at the fact that her freedom was within her grasp. Taking a slow step forward, she then bolted through the opening like a bat out of hell.

Being bigger than the newly freed prisoner, it took Reece a second to squeeze through the gap as she shouted back to him. "Come on! This way!"

They ran down the stairs on the other side when the walls around them shook violently. Almost like something had struck the tower like an angry giant sucker punched it. Reece caught up with Elizabeth at the bottom when the tower shook again.

"It's his job to keep me locked up in here!" she said before the question could leave his mouth.

"Then he's about to fail his job!" he called back as they began to back track on the path that he had taken to reach her. The monument kept shaking like a leaf on a tree. Whatever was on the outside was _pissed_ and doing whatever was in its power to get at them.

"Who exactly are you? Why did you come here?" Elizabeth asked while they kept moving.

"I think we can save question and answer time for after we get out of the crumbling tower!" came the reply as the tower was struck again. They rounded another corner when another impact sent Reece sprawling to the ground. Ahead of him, the metal wall of the monument was carved into by a set of large talons like a hot knife through butter. Light spilling through the opening as a large shadow shot past.

"Oh fuck me..." he said with fear being injected into his blood. Getting to his feet he began to run after Elizabeth as another large cut was made into the tower causing a support beam to collapse down on to the wooden walkway and making a large gap.

Not stopping, Reece pumped his feet harder before leaping across the gap as he continued moving. "CALL THE ELEVATOR!" he shouted entering the next corridor.

"What?" Elizabeth asked back.

"PRESS THE BUTTON ON THE WALL!" he explained as they entered the last observation room.

As they waited, she took notice of the two way mirror and gasped in shock. Touching the glass as she recognized the room beyond as her bedroom. "What is all this?" she asked as if he would have the answers. "They were watching me? All this time...why?" she turned to him and grasped his forearms. "Why did they put me here? What am I? WHAT AM I?!"

Reece gently held her shoulders and looked her in the eye, "You're the girl who's getting the hell out of here. And nothing's going to stop that."

A large fist suddently punched through the door of the elevator sending them both stumbling back until they were pressed against the far wall. The hand withdrew and a large head peered into the room with glowing orange/yellow eyes with glass lenses covering them.

The creature looked roughly bird-like in nature, covered in thick leather straps from head to toe with sharp talons on the end of its arms and feet. One of the eyes seemed to zero in on Reece as it began to force its head into the door, its talons tearing into the walls and forcing the opening wider.

Elizabeth screamed while Reece drew his pistol and emptied a whole clip into the creature's head. Summoning fire blasts to his hand and he began throwing them as well as the monster began to get closer to them.

A ding resounded from the elevator call button drawing all attention in the room. Seconds before the lift dropped down from above striking the creature hard enough to dislodge it and sending it crashing down toward the floors below.

Taking a second to catch his breath, Reece reloaded his pistol and peered down over the edge to see dust and debris kicked up from the impacts. "That...is gonna lead to one nasty headache." he commented as Elizabeth came up next to him.

"Indeed. We should keep going, before he comes back." she said with a slight smile from his words.

Nodding in agreement, Reece took a few steps away from the opening before running and leaping through the elevator shaft and on to a landing on the other side, Looking back he put the pistol away and held his arms out, "Jump! I'll catch you."

Elizabeth looked hesitant, casting a glance down the shaft where the creature had vanished before making her decision. Taking a couple steps back like he did, she got a running start and jumped the gap. Landing into Reece's arms as he helped keep her steady. "You okay?" he asked as she steped out of his reach.

"Yes, thank you. Come on." she said leading him up a flight a stairs leading up.

They barely made it one floor when the tower began shaking again, this time much more violently then it had before. "Christ! What's that thing made of?!" Reece exclaimed as they double timed it up the steps.

"We have to hurry! He's going to tear the whole building apart!" she shouted as a beam came crashing through the floor above.

"ELIZABETH LOOK OUT!" the traveler shouted tackling her out of the way as he beam crushed the floor where she had been standing.

The young woman looked at him in shock as he helped her to her feet, "How do you know my name?" she asked as the tower shook again, the metal letting out a loud groan as supports began to strain from the damage.

"Later! Let's GO!" he shouted as they ran the rest of the way to the top. Stopping at a door, Reece twisted the wheel and tried to push it open and only getting it so far. "Give me a hand here!" he said as Elizabeth braced herself against the steel and pushed with him.

The door eventually the door began to open back outside. The wind slamming against the door and almost forcing it shut again. Reece braced himself against the frame and held it open allowing Elizabeth to pass through. "Where do we go?!" she asked over the sound of the wind.

"Up!" Reece shouted back slipping through the gap and leading her up the fenced in path. The strong wind nearly knocking the young woman over forcing the traveler to wrap an arm around her waist to support her as they ascended the tower.

Through the clouds, the two could make out the dark shadow of what looked to be large bat-wings "He's not going to stop..." she said barely loud enough for the other teen to hear her. Reece gritted his teeth, glaring at the shadow as it disappeared.

"I won't let him get you, I promise." he vowed as they reached the top of the monument.

The tower was struck again, this time a loud crunch was heard and everything started listing to the side. The two grabbed on to the railing as the monument split in half and began to fall. A second impact caused them to let go and began spinning through open air, screams ripping from their throats as they plunged helplessly through the clouds.

Struggling, Reece managed to right himself. Moving over to Elizabeth and grabbing her hand, pulling her close to his body and securing her to him. A flicker in his peripheral vision caught his attention and gave him an image that would haunt his dreams.

The creature was much larger than he though. Its large wings extended back before folding inward as it dived after them. Its glowing eyes locked on them like prey as it closed the distance quickly.

 _"No fucking way am I letting this thing get to us!"_ Reece looked around as Elizabeth burrowed her face into his neck shaking in terror. The light of the sun reflected off of something below them. The traveler's eyes widened when he saw the shining form of a sky-way come into view. "ELIZABETH! HANG ON TIGHT AND DON'T LET GO!" he shouted slipping his hand into his sky-hook and waiting for the right moment.

The girl's grip tightened on his torso as the creature chasing them was almost within grabbing distance. Reece shot out his arm and activated the magnet as he held Elizabeth's waist and held the sky-hook out.

His arm was nearly ripped out of its socket when the device latched on to the railway and took off. Elizabeth lost her grip and began to slip but was stopped when Reece's other hand grabbed her wrist before she could fall, making him wince as both arms were extended to their limits.

The creature zooming past them dissapeared into the clouds as the once beautiful monument behind them crumbled.

Biting his lip from the pain in his arms. Reece kept the speed trigger on the sky-hook firmly pressed as they shot along the skyway. An airship in the air ahead of them was sliced to ribbons as the monster made another appearence. All they could do was hold on for dear life as the sky-hook shot out a couple sparks from the weight of two people hanging from it.

They flew through an opening in a bridge with the creature shadowing them as the upper half of the monument fell away from the rest and went through the clouds toward the ocean thousands of feet below.

But not before one of the angel's wings connected with the bridge they were riding along next to. Destroying it and the skyway that had been attached to it. Everything slowing to a crawl as the sky-hook reached the end of the rail and launched both teens into open air.

Acting on instinct, Reece spun around and pulled Elizabeth's form against his like before. She wrapped her arms around him and gripped as tightly as she could with her head pressed to his chest as he turned so that she was on top of him and his back facing the ground as they began falling again. His body now shielding hers.

He looked over his shoulder and saw another island below them with a large body of water. Leaning down so that his mouth was next to Elizabeth's ear he told her to hold her breath as they slammed into the water and vanished under the waves, the debris of the destroyed bridge raining down around them moments later.

Now submerged, the two separated and began to kick with all their strength to get back to the surface. Avoiding the large chunks of debris that was decending around them as they drew closer to the sunlight.

That was until a dark shadow quickly began to grow on the other side until it began to take the form of a familiar shape. Reece had a split second to push Elizabeth away as a large clawed hand shot into the water and grabbed him.

The creature's upper half burst in soon after. Its head snapping to the left as it looked at the captured traveler with it's glowing right eye. The teen struggled as the talons gripped him tighter, crushing the air out of him making bubbles burst from his mouth and grinding his bones together.

Swinging his sky-hook encased arm, he struck hard as he could against the thing's eye as he tried to get free, the hooks spinning in the water churning it up while it grinded against the reinforced lens.

However, the creature shook of the hits and clenched its talon more. Reece felt one of his ribs pop making him cry out into the water in agony, unable to move from the pain or draw in breath his body started to fail him making the situation look grim.

Unknown to both, a large chunk of bridge fell down and crashed into the water, slamming into the creature's back hard enough to crack one of its eyes. Dark fluid spewed into the water around them as it recoiled cluching it's face before releasing him. The monster thrashed its head before backing off and shot back out of the water leaving a trail of blood-like fluid in its wake as Reece watched it disappear, his vision darkening and chest burning from lack of air and from the broken rib he'd gotten as he slowly began to drift toward the bottom.

Before his eyes closed completely, he could have sworn he saw an angel come down and take his hand.

 **A/N: One hell of a first meeting, if I do say so myself. But the question is how will things go one from here with Elizabeth's 'Guardian' now being thrown into the mix with a vendetta against Reece?**

 **New update tomorrow!**


	6. The Price of Freedom

**A/N: I made a promise, and I always deliver as best as I can.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Bioshock.**

 _Opening his eyes with a soft groan, Reece found himself back in his bedroom in Rhoad Island. Laying on the floor facing the ceiling as he tried to get his barings._

 _"Reece? You there? Reece!" came his father's voice from the other side of his door._

 _"Dad?" he asked rolling over and struggling to get back to his feet. Looking up, he was shocked to see Elizabeth leaning against his desk. Eyes locking with his as she spoke._

 _"Save the girl...return to your home." she said in a low monotone voice. "You have no idea what you have gotten yourself into."_

 _Reece stood up and approached her, "Elizabeth? Why are you here? What's going on?" he asked grabbing her shoulders. She looked at him with no expression at all as the pounding on his bedroom door persisted. "I'll BE RIGHT THERE!" he shouted at the person knocking before looking back at the girl._

 _She was gone. His hands hovering in the air where her shoulders had been. "What the hell is going on with me?" he said dropping his arms down in confusion._

 _"Reece!" He faced the door hearing another familiar voice on the other side._

 _"Elizabeth?...but...How did-"_

 _"Reece you need to breathe! Come on BREATHE! Please Reece!" she screamed desperately._

 _Approached the door, he grabbed the knob and twisted it slowly before pulling it open. The room filling with a bright light and everything went black again._

X

His senses slowly began to come back into focus. The sounds of waves laping against sand heard close by was first. He then felt something pressing down on to his chest several times before feeling something warm and soft on his lips pushing air back into his body.

When enough air was forced into him, Reece's eyes sprang open and found himself in the familiar situation of coughing up water from his ravaged lungs. Rolling on to his side as he cleared his airways and started gulping in fresh air again. _"That's it...I hate fucking water!"_ he thought bitterly amongst his coughing fit.

"Reece? Are you alright?" he looked up and saw Elizabeth kneeling in the sand next to him with a concerned look on her face.

"Been...better..." the traveler wheezed out as he struggled to get up. Hissing in pain when the muscles on his right side flexed around his new injury. _"Damn. Couple of ribs are busted at least."_ he thought laying on his back gently to avoid agitating the breaks. "Where am I?" he asked looking up to see the once blue sky turning pink marking the approaching end of the day.

Elizabeth smiled in relief, "Back in the land of the living." She grabbed his hand and went to help him up when he grunted feeling his ribs flare up. "Oh! I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed laying him back down. "Where are you hurt?"

"My ribs, that thing crushed a couple of them pretty good. What the hell was that anyway?" he asked remembering the monstrous bird-creature that chased them from the monument tower.

The young woman looked striken before shaking her head, "It's...hard to explain. But I might have something that will help you." she said reaching into the backpack that had been sitting by her along with his weapons. After a moment, she pulled out a small vial filled with ruby/red liquid with a red plus sign stamped on the front.

"I found this in the sand after we got to shore, I almost forgot about it because you weren't breathing when I pulled you out of the water. So I had to give you CPR." she explained pulling the top off and handing it to him. "From the label, it should help you heal."

Reece accepted the vial and raised his head enough so that he could drink it. Cringing as the taste of wild cherries mixed with cough medicine bombarded his throat. He managed to down every last drop before settling back down again as he felt a strange warmth start in the center of his chest and spread to where he knew where his ribs were broken. "Thank you. Guess this kind of makes us even huh?"

Elizabeth couldn't help but smile, "It would appear so." She perked up when she heard something in the distance. "Do you hear that?" she asked as her smile brightened. "It's music!"

Despite his sped up recovery thanks to the concoction that he drank, Reece wasn't anywhere near ready to move. But the sheer excitement and joy on the girl's face warmed his heart.

She'd been trapped in that tower for only god knew how long. She was probably denied the luxary of hearing music or even feel the air on her face from being outside. Who was he to deny her at least a few minutes to enjoy her new freedom.

"Go on, have a little fun." he said smirking. "I'm just going to rest up and heal a little more."

Elizabeth's smile turned blinding as she stood up, "Okay! I won't be long! I won't be long, Reece!" she exclaimed before running up the beach out of sight. Reece shook his head at her enthusiasm as he laid back in the warm sand and stared up at the sky.

Taking the time to think about everything that had happened to him in the last day. He'd gone from an average college student to a hated pariah in a city in the clouds. Being thrown from the futrue to a century in the past and having to deal with not only the culture shock, but the mission that had been forced upon him.

After everything that had happened leading to this point, the chances of survival seemed to depend on the hour. With more than half the city after his blood, and with the destruction of the city's beloved monument and home to their cherished 'Lamb', there was bound to be a serious backlash.

 _"We need to get out of this city."_ he thought looking seriously at the now pink tinted clouds above. _"The longer we stay the more likely Comstock's men will find us. And I doubt we can handle a whole army coming down on us, not to mention that giant bird-thing that tried to get us. Who knows when the hell that thing will pop up again."_

A few more minutes passed when Reece felt that he could stand again without searing pain putting him back down. The health vial Elizabeth had given him had healed most of the damage he had been dealt and took care of the pain, but he could still feel a slight ache every now and again proving that he still wasn't at a hundred percent.

Pulling on his pack and securing his weapons, the teen slowly trudged up the beach. Passing several rows of people lounging on towels or chairs enjoying the setting sun in the distance.

Reaching the pier at the end, he looked around the various closed shops for anything that could have been left behind by the people that came here that day. Managing to find a couple handfuls of Silver Eagles and a second health vial under the pier itself. _"Either someone's not paying attention to what they're dropping, or someones watching me closely."_ Reece thought as he drank the health vial and felt the effects finishing up what the last one couldn't finish.

Feeling back to his old self again, the traveler continued on his path down the pier in search of Elizabeth. Passing by a couple of guys talking he caught their attention, "Excuse me. Either of you seen a young woman come through here? A little shorter than me, brunette in a white blouse and blue skirt?" he asked.

"Was that sweet thing with you?" asked one of the guys grinning. "She's a beauty lad! Better not let that one out of your sight."

Reece scratched the back of his head sheepishly, "Yeah, she kind of is with me. You know where she went?"

"Just up the pier." said the other man clapping him on the shoulder. "Good luck, you got yourself a winner in that one"

Following the rest of the path, the teen made sure that the sleeve of his denim jacket was covering his hand tattoo. Doing his best to avoid another incident like at the raffle, he doubted that he'd get any good points in Elizabeth's book if he had to slaughter a bunch of people so that they could get away.

Along the way he saw a sign saying where they had ended up. A place called Battleship Bay which looked like a small summer spot for citizens to go to on a hot day. The very fact that they could create a floating island that could hold it's own body of water like this sounded not only impossible...but very cool at the same time.

 _"Why the hell hasn't anyone come up like something like this back home?"_ Reece wondered as he made his way along another beach toward a pier that stretched out on to the water where the sound of music could be heard clear across the water.

Remembering where his charge was going, he followed the music down the dock to where he saw a bunch of couples dancing among themselves with a three man band creating the tunes.

Spinning in the center of the group was Elizabeth. Her long skirt twirling along with her movements as a look of serenity and joy filled her beautiful face.

She stopped her movements when she saw Reece at the edge of the group and moved through them, "Reece! This is wonderful! Come dance with me!" she said grabbing his hands and pulling him forward.

He was nervous, he hadn't been on a dance floor with a girl since he and his ex broke up all those months ago. But he just couldn't say no to those gorgeous baby-blues as he was pulled on to the dance floor. Everyone around them giving the younger couple room as they danced in a similar fashion to what they had been doing before.

Reece was glad that he had drank the second health vial he had found, or this would have been rather difficult. He let Elizabeth lead them, her whole form radiating happiness that made a smile appear on his lips. How could anyone imprison such a free spirit? It was inhumane...un _godly_ to keep this creature locked away.

After several times around the floor, Reece pulled them to a stop and off to the side as everyone else started dancing again. "Elizabeth, we should really get going." he said getting things back on track.

"Why? What could be better than this?" she asked with her arms stretched out to what was around them.

 _"Being alive and safe from a city filled with religious nut-jobs and they're power crazed leader?"_ he thought while scratching his neck absently. Then he remembered what he had seen when he got her from the tower, all the pictures, the painting, and what he saw when she opened that portal.

"How bout Paris?" he offered.

Elizabeth's face became a mask of shock, "P-Paris?! I don't understand...how could we even get there?" she asked now very excited.

Reece had to wrack his brain pretty hard on that one. Lucky for him a large zeppelin with the image of a regal looking woman on the side flew by and looked to be docking close by. The name on the side of the airship reading _**'The First Lady'**_.

"We can hitch a ride on that airship." he said pointing it out to her. "But...if you'd prefer to stay here and dance..."

Elizabeth grabbed his hand, "NO! Let's go!" she shouted and started to drag him back to the buildings by the pier. "C'mon, let's go right now!"

"Okay! Okay! Easy girl, we'll get there." said Reece laughing at how jazzed up she was. It reminded him of the time when his sisters got tickets to a One Direction concert before he went to college. He shivered remembering how they forced him to come along and had to bare the horror of so many screaming fan girls in one place.

 _"Between that and here...Columbia seems like a paradise. Save for the murdering racists."_

As they walked along, Elizabeth kept looking at everything in wonder. "I'm out...It's so hard to believe, but it's true. Isn't it?" she asked absentmindedly smelling the air. "Can you smell that? I've never smelled anything like that before, have you?"

"That's the smell of freedom, Elizabeth." said Reece making her smile up at him.

"I haven't thanked you properly for rescuing me...for the longest time I thought I would never see the outside world beyond those walls. I started to lose hope." she admitted with her head down.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up into Reece's green gaze, "You don't need to thank me. From what I saw you deserved to get out of there. And as long as I'm still kicking, you'll remain that way."

Smiling her thanks. The two of them passed through a turnstile as they entered the building ahead which had turned out to be a large gift shop filled with souveniers all based around Comstock. "Reece." The traveler turned to Elizabeth and saw her looking at a large poster of the Prophet in front of her.

"Comstock. I've read about him. They say he can see the future." she said looking over the image.

Reece leaned close to her ear and whispered so that he didn't rouse suspicion from the other custormers or the shop owner who had been close by. "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." he said quoting Lincoln.

Elizabeth frowned. "I don't like his look."

"Do you dislike the look of the Prophet? Or his gaze?" the shop owner said heatedly.

Reece smiled at the man, "It's not that, sir. The image just could be better. More regal, don't you agree? I mean the Prophet has a much more prominent chin." he said waving to the poster and hoping that his acting paid off.

The shop owner looked from the teens to the poster and gasped. "You're right! I'll have to contact the ones that made the posters and have them make the proper changes. Thank you for pointing that out." he said as the duo slipped out of the store.

"Why did you lie?" Elizabeth whispered as they got a safe distance away.

"One of the things you should never do is bad mouth an important figure head when you're surrounded by their subjects." he replied as they made their way down a row of booths. At the end stood two people who were still on Reece's shit list. "Well...if it isn't my most _favorite_ people on the planet." he muttered as Robert and Rosalind stood before them.

"Hello again, Mr. Vega." said Rosalind.

"Can we assume that your journey has been enlightening?" asked Robert.

Reece squared his shoulders as he shot them a dirty look, "Oh yeah. Very enlightening. The multiple near-death experiences really put things into perspective for you after a while." he said with so much sarcasm that you could feel it.

"Reece, do you know these people" asked Elizabeth a little confused about the confrontation.

"Unfortunetly." the traveler admitted. "Elizabeth, this is Robert and Rosalind Lutece." the twins nodded to the young woman in greeting who did the same in return.

"All pleasantries aside, we have a matter that needs to be handled." said Rosalind as she and her brother both pulled out red velvet pillows with jewelry boxes of the same size, shape and color sitting on them. "A choice for the lady." she continued as they opened the boxes.

Revealing two identical pendents placed on silk chokers. The pendants baring the same symbols that had been on the key that helped Elizabeth escape from the tower. A cage on one, a bird on the other. Both looking like they were made of silver on an oval shaped black-onyx stone with silver trim.

"Which will you choose?" asked Rosalind. "The bird..."

"Or the cage?" finished Robert.

Elizabeth looked at the two pendants closely. "They both look so beautiful." she said picking up the two cases before turning to Reece and showing him. "Which one do you think I should choose?"

This wasn't Reece's first song and dance when it came to picking out jewelry for a woman. He'd helped find something for his grandma, mother, sisters and ex on several occasions. It was all a matter of trying to match the right attributes of the person to the jewelry in question.

 _"Hmm...Both are exactly the same, yet speak volumes on their own."_ he thought to himself. _"The cage represents safety, but also imprisonment. Which could also force her to remember where she had been housed most of her life. The bird represents freedom and being able to reach new heights. But looks similar to that giant freak that came after us."_

After weighing the pros and cons with the symbology of each pendant he chose. "Take the bird. It represents freedom and marks the beginning of your new life." he said smiling at her.

Elizabeth smiled back setting the other box back down and taking the choker out of the other. "I expected the cage." said Robert as he and his sister bowed to them and made their leave.

Reece watched them go with narrowed eyes, _"We're going to have a long chat when this is over."_ The twins stopped and looked over their shoulders at him at the same time making him wonder if they had heard his thoughts.

"I love it!" Elizabeth said after fixing the silk choker in place. Turning to show the traveler her new accessory and how it sat snug against the center of her swan-like neck. "How does it look?" she asked touching the pendant lightly.

Reece swallowed and managed a smile, "It's pretty, and it suits you." The young woman smiled with a light blush dusting her cheeks from the compliment.

The moment was shattered when they heard people panicing. Heading to see what was going on, they saw everyone staring in horror at the monument tower coming out of the clouds. Or, more or less, what was left of it after what had happened.

"My god...look..." Elizabeth said in a low voice with her hands clasped in front of her.

"You okay?" Reece asked gently.

"It was my home." came the reply as more people started to gather around. Some of them in tears, others on their knees praying from seeing the sight of the 'Lamb's' home now being in ruins.

Looking around at all the people, Reece slipped his right hand into the pocket of his jacket before taking Elizabeth's hand with the other. "Come on, we should get out of here." he said leading her out of the crowd and into the nearby building which had been the station leading to the First Lady Airship.

But the way leading through the station was blocked off by a police blockade and a large group of people hoping to get inside. Each person wanting to get through had to be searched thoroughly before being allowed entry.

Not wanting to get caught, the duo went down a side hallway only to run into a snag in the form of a locked door. "Dammit..." Reece muttered refraining himself from trying to kick the door in and drawing more attention to them.

Elizabeth moved ahead, reaching into her hair and pulling out a pin before tinkering with the lock. "What are you doing?" he hissed, turning around and blocking her from sight while keeping a look out for anyone that might catch them.

"You're a roguish type. What does it look like?" she asked as she went about messing with the lock.

He shook his head, "You know I should feel insulted by that comment. But considering I broke into a heavily guarded tower not long ago I can see your point." he admitted before looking over his shoulder when he heard a a low clinking noise as the lock fell away from the door.

"Done." Elizabeth said casually pushing the door open and raising an eyebrow at him.

Reece chuckled, "Your a woman of many talents, aren't you?" he said as they went through the opening and shutting the doors behind them.

"Well, being trapped in a tower with nothing but books and spare time you learn to pick up a couple of hobbies. You'd be surprised with what I know how to do." said the girl as they went down the empty hallway.

 _"I already am."_ Reece thought remembering her little display back at the tower, and the fact that she could pick locks could prove invaluable if they got stuck somewhere.

Traversing the back hallways of the station. Both teens set about finding a way that would help them get through to the airship. Reece spent that time collecting anything valuable from nearby crates, Elizabeth tossing him a couple Silver Eagles here and there saying that she would keep a look out for anything else.

When they rounded another corner, Reece saw two people he never thought he'd see again. "Hey...mister...we'd like to help you." said an African woman standing next to her husband. They were the same interracial couple that had been at the raffle before all hell broke loose.

"I remember you." said the teen smiling kindly. "It's good to see you both got out of there in one piece."

The man nodded, "Without you, we probably wouldn't have. We owe you our lives."

"Daisy always said somebody like you would come along." said the woman holding out her hand with a good amount of Silver Eagles. "This may not be much, but it's all we have. Take it, please. It's the least we can do."

Reece looked at the offering before reaching into his pocket. Pulling out the Silver Eagles that Elizabeth had given to him a moment ago and putting them in the dark-skinned woman's hand. "Keep your money." he said closing her fingers over the coins. "And stay safe out there. Don't let these racist assholes damage what you two have made for each other."

The couple smiled at the kindness, the woman hugging Reece briefly and whispered "God bless you." in his ears before they took their leave. The traveler turned to his charge and saw her with her arms folded over her chest with a smile gracing her features. "...what?" he asked.

"You saved their lives?" she asked sounding a little impressed.

"They were in trouble, and the situation turned bad fast. I couldn't just let them get hurt." Reece said with a shrug.

Elizabeth's smile widened as they continued on, "It's good to know that I'm traveling with someone with a good heart and strong morals."

Reece cringed but managed to keep it hidden so that she didn't notice. "I was raised to always help those in need." he smiled before adding, "And it's good to know I'm happy to be traveling with a nice young woman with a hobby for breaking and entering."

Elizabeth blushed and turned her head so that he wouldn't notice. But the chuckle coming from her companion told her otherwise making her face a little redder.

X

The next room they had entered was large and full of arcade games of all kinds and styles. Food vendors were set up here and there selling snacks to patrons as everyone enjoyed themselves among the flashing lights and sounds around them.

Since the moment they walked through the door, Reece had been on edge. Feeling like they were being watched. Elizabeth moved along looking at everything in wonder while he kept his eyes open for anything out of the ordinary. Both hands in his pockets while at the same time ready to launch one of his powers should the need arise.

"Hay Reece? What is this?" he turned to see Elizabeth looking at a bottle of soda she picked up from a table where the vendor was giving them away for free.

"It's called soda. Cola flavored to be exact." he replied taking the bottle and popping the top off before handing it back. "Give it a try, you might like it."

She gave the opening a small sniff before taking a small sip of the beverage. She giggled a little, "It tickles my nose. And it tastes very sweet." she said taking another swig from the bottle.

Grinning, Reece took another bottle for himself and drank with her. Tossing the empty bottles away afterward before heading to the back of the arcade to another turnstile that would take them to where they needed to go.

A woman in a grey uniform had been standing infront of the turnstile on the right when they approached. She turned and gave Elizabeth a strange look. "Annabelle?" she asked after a moment.

"Excuse me?" asked Elizabeth confused.

"Annabelle, it's me Esther! Don't you remember me?" the woman asked thinking that she knew the younger woman.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not Annabelle. My name is Elizabeth." came the reply.

Esther tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at the two of them before smiling, "Elizabeth? Well, isn't that a lovely name?" she said before passing through the turnstile and walking off.

The bad feeling Reece had when they got here went up a great deal. Something about that exchange was way too sketchy for his tastes. "That was odd." said Elizabeth while trying to wonder what that had been about as they went through as well.

An officer by the stairs looked up at them from his spot against the wall called out; "Last customer, park's closing. Park's closing, everyone!"

"Not a whole lot of time, we better get moving." said Reece as they moved a little faster up the steps. Entering the atrium where the ticket booth was set up for the airships. The traveler took note that the place had a couple people in it that were just milling around and speaking in hushed tones.

His instincts were screaming at him that something was off. But they needed to get on to that airship if they wanted to get out of Columbia.

"Excuse me, two tickets for the First Lady airship please." Reece said after ringing the bell.

The ticket booth operator was on the phone with his back to them talking to someone. "Yeah, just a minute friend." came the reply before he went back to his conversation. "Yeah, I have it. How do you want to proceed?"

"In a bit of a rush here, man." said Reece getting a little annoyed.

"Hay mister! You're going to get mustard all over your nice suit!" Elizabeth called to another patron as they waited for the man to get off the phone.

"Mmmm-hmmm," said the ticket man as he kept speaking. "I got it. I'll ring you back once the matter's in hand. Send in the bird, we're ready to execute."

Reece really didn't like the sound of that as he put his hands on the counter. "Hay! We've been patient, so how about a little service before this place-"

"Let go of me!" Reece spun around and saw two cops grabbing Elizabeth while she struggled..

"Elizabeth!" he shouted.

"Don't forget your tickets FRIEND!" The traveler cried out in pain as the man in the booth stabbed a knife through his hand, pinning it to the counter as he went to pull a side arm out from behind him.

Through the pain, Reece brought out his other hand and launched a fireblast into the bastard and lit him up before grabbing the knife by the handle and pulling it from his hand with a sickening spurt of blood.

A cop managed to run up to him when he lit the man in the booth on fire and raised his club to hit him. Only to be met with the glow of his shield flaring up to defend him as he spun on his foot and jabbed the blade into the man's throat.

Dropping the man to the floor, the teen looked around and saw Elizabeth plant her knee into an officer's crotch forcing him to release her before turning to him. Her face morphed into one of shock and horror seeing the dead cop at his feet before her gaze met his. Without a word she spun around fled the room, just as everyone else around drew a weapon and opened fire on Reece forcing him into cover behind a nearby pillar.

"Shit. " he growled clutching his still bleeding hand. The damage was minimal, no tendons or major nerves were severed when the knife went in meaning he could still us it. But the pain that went through everytime he clentched his fist made things a little difficult.

Drawing his pistol in his right hand and ignoring the pain as best he could, be spun around the pillar and launched a flock of crows into the group that had been set up to ambush them. Taking advantage of their distraction to drill rounds through them and put them down before they could attack him again.

He then launched a Possession into another man giving him a little back up so that he could better assess the situation.

There were roughly eight people still in the room, all with good firepower that pounded against his shield as he returned fire on them. Tossing a few fire-grenades to thin out their ranks as he switched from the pistol to the machine gun and sprayed bullets through the room just as his shield broke under the assault.

Getting back into cover, Reece pulled out a Salt and knocked it back to replenish his powers when he saw something out of the corner of his eye.

Underneith one of the men his crows had torn apart was a gun that was bulky and had a large barrel. And judging by the trigger pump and its overall design he could tell that it was an old-school version of a shotgun.

He may have been a long distance shooter on the range and in video games, but given the current situation he made an exception as he grabbed the weapon and made sure a new round was chambered before leaping up and pulling the trigger.

The thing kicked like a damn mule and made the pain in his right hand flare up like a cattle prod. But the damage it caused was worth it as the powerful shot ripped a man's chest open like a fountain and threw him back against a pillar lifeless.

Readjusting his grip on the shotgun, Reece pumped the handle loading in a new round as he blasted another attacker before he could get into cover. The combined effort of his Vigors and guns dispatched all but one of the people setup to ambush him and Elizabeth.

And as it turned out, the last one standing was the woman Esther that stopped them by the stairs.

"Die False Shepard!" she screamed firing her own shotgun. The blast destroying Reece's shield in one shot from the close range they had been at causing his own shot to go too high as he dove behind a bench.

A second blast tore a chunk of his hiding place off as he waited for his field to replenish, When he saw the familiar glow in his vision he stood and fired his shotgun without pause. The blast knocked the crazed woman from her cover and throwing her for a loop as the teen fired another shot that nearly shreaded the arm that was holding her shotgun.

Pumping the handle, Reece took aim and fired the last round in the chamber. Punching a hole in Esther's stomach and putting her down for good leaving the room dead silent.

Lowering the smoking barrel, Reece dropped the spent shotgun to the floor before jogging in the direction where Elizabeth had disappeared to. Opening the gate that came down to seal the room and running down the corridor behind it as he looked for the girl.

"Elizabeth! Where are you?!" He called out as he kept moving. His feet pounding the wooden floor under him as he reached the end of the station where the gondola was waiting. It was the only place where she could have gone and he wasted no time going up the steps two at a time and approaching the transport.

He found her inside the gondola, attempting to work the lever but she just couldn't muster the strength to push it into place. When she looked up and saw him in the door way she back away from the controls and put as much distance between them as the small room would allow.

It stung...a lot. Seeing the once joy-filled and innocent eyes that he had seen before looking at him in terror and disgust ripped his heart up. "Elizabeth..." he reached out but she moved back even farther.

"Stay away from me!" she screamed making his guilt even worse.

Reece held up his hands, "Look...I know what you saw was pretty bad. But you have to understand that-"

"What I _have_ to understand?" she fired back heatedly. "You killed all those people! They're all dead!" her gaze burning as she leaned up and shoved him as hard as she could. "YOU'RE A MONSTER!"

Whatever pain he had felt before...pretty much paled in comparison to that one sentence. It was like the password that opened the floodgates that held back everything that he had done since arriving in this city. All the lives he was forced to end for his survival. Looking those people in the face as he shot them and seeing the life fade from their eyes each time.

Elizabeth had calmed a little after a few moments, but she noticed that Reece hadn't said a word. He stood in the center of the room very still, his face turning a shade of pale-green as he looked at the floor wide eyed.

"Reece?" she asked taking a hesitant step forward. The action alone snapped him out of it, he backpeddled to the other side of the goldola's control room until his back was against the wall. Sliding to the floor as he closed his eyes and took deep breaths.

"Do you think I wanted to?" he asked so quiet the young woman could barely hear him. "That I wanted to take their lives? Before today I never once even _thought_ about taking another life. The thought of killing another person made me feel sick and inhuman."

He opened his eyes and Elizabeth gasped at the hollow and empty look in them. "I don't do it because I want to or have to. But because ever since I got here people have wanted me dead for absolutely no reason at all. I don't enjoy taking their lives, but its either fight or die. And I keep telling myself that it's self defense...but more and more keep throwing themselves at me to put me down because their so called 'Prophet' made me a marked man in their eyes."

Chuckling humorlessly, Reece kept his gaze on the young woman before him. "You think I'm a monster. Do you have any idea what the people of this city have done? What they're trying to do? They locked you in that tower and hold you as a Messiah that will lead them to victory when they wage war against the surface. You're an asset to them that is too valuable to just let go. And they'll do whatever it takes to get you back under their control."

"The people here won't let you just walk away because you want to. And the only way for either of us to be safe is to get as far from this fucking place as possible. And it has reached a point where it's a shoot first ask questions never kind of deal."

Elizabeth soaked all of this in. Wiping a few stray tears from her face as she looked down at the man who had done everything in his power to not only free her. But just fought off a large number of people to ensure that she wasn't captured again.

"What do...What do they want from me?" she asked after a while with her hand resting over her heart.

"Don't know exactly." Reece said standing back up. "But I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure that they don't get what they want." he reached for the lever to pull it when Elizabeth gasped again.

"Reece! Your hand!"

He looked down at the injury. The slit in his flesh where the blade penetrated cut his tattoo right down the middle and was still bleeding. But the pain had begun to slowly numb allowing him to use it without too much trouble now. "It's not as bad as it looks." he said grabbing the lever and pulling it back. Leaving a bloody handprint in its wake.

Elizabeth shuffled around, removing her ascot and wrapping the cloth around his hand, securing it tightly to stop it from bleeding. "We'll have to find another one of those health vials to help it heal completely." she said tying the cloth in place. "What happened back there...it's not the last of it, was it?"

Reece looked grim, "Probably not. But if we move fast enough we can avoid anymore blood shed."

The gondola made it's trip along the rails toward where the airship was docked. The control room now silent as the two teens waited for it to stop and let them off. Reece was in deep thought, they were almost out of here. But where to go from there.

He was told to rescue Elizabeth and protect her, but nothing for after he did all that. He'd keep the promise he made to her, Reece never went back on his word no matter the odds stacked against him. Even now, and he wouldn't break that streak. Especially when the one he was helping was more than deserving of what she desired.

"Reece?" shaking away his thoughts, he turned to Elizabeth who was looking at the floor and biting her lip. "I...I need to know the truth." she looked up at him with imploring eyes. "Why did you come here? Why did you rescue me? If we're going to be traveling to Paris together...I need to know about the one I'm with."

Letting out a deep breath, Reece looked ahead and saw that they were still a few minutes out from the airship station. They had time...but would she even believe him?

"Okay," he said nodding while setting his backpack on the floor by the gondolas controls, "But to be perfectly honest, you may not believe most of it."

Elizabeth leaned against one of the closed windows, "I'm sure that it's not as farfetched as you're making it sound." she said making her companion chuckle.

"Oh it is, believe me. I can't even believe it myself." Reece admitted as he prepared to tell her everything. Praying that she would understand and believe it.

And if she didn't, things would get a hell of a lot harder.

 **A/N: The two of them have officially started their journey, and Elizabeth's first time out of her tower has now become something she really wasn't expecting.**

 **If you've played Bioshock: Infinite, then you know Booker's personality and how he handled such emotional situations with Elizabeth. In all honesty, I was pretty pissed with how he handled certain things in canon, I can understand being all business and wanting to get his mission done, but if the person you're supposed to be helping doesn't trust you and looks at you like some kind of murderer...then you really need to go about things another way.**

 **This is why I was able to make things different/better considering Reece isn't a 'killer', but someone who is pushed to extremes and resorted to the fight section of his fight, flight or freeze reflexes. He does feel guilt for having to kill the ones coming after him, but he's able to push his personal feelings aside long enough to keep himself, and now Elizabeth, out of danger. Which could save them even more in the near future.**

 **New update tomorrow folks!**


	7. Two Against the World

**A/N: Here we are once again. I figured I'd take the time to let you guys in on what's going on with the other stories in my list before getting to the good stuff. If you want to skip ahead to the chapter, more power to you, I just need to get the word about my other fics.**

 **For those waiting on an update for Symbiosis Vol.2, one will be coming soon. I've been going over old notes and been preparing to make new chapters for a while now. But I decided to give old stories a work-over and putting them back on the site as well as making sure that others stay afloat as well.**

 **Also, for any fans of Fragment Effect, I've made a new decision regarding that as well. A lot of my readers have given me ideas about where things should go in terms of the story, several of them have told me that the main character should visit other worlds before heading into the ME-verse. It's a tempting prospect, make one story into a series from several standpoints all leading up to the OC going into Mass Effect. My buddy DemonFireX told me about trying to put Metro 2033/Last Light in there somewhere, having the character survive that series before 'jumping' into the next...I'm still on the fence about it but I have plenty of time to think on it.**

 **Anyway, I hope that sedates your curiosity for the time being if your a fan of either series. Now let's get to the reason why you're here.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Bioshock.**

The gongola continued its way toward the airship station. It's pace slow, yet steady as it drew closer to its destination.

Reece, for his part, had spent the trip explaining his whole situation to Elizabeth. From the accident he had in his time, to waking up at the lighthouse. To finding the box that helped get him here, to the point where he had rescued her from the tower. He left nothing out, it was a huge risk and the chances of her not believing his story was high.

But he wouldn't be doing either of them any favors by keeping secrets. He wanted her trust, and if it meant spilling his guts in how he arrived in this twilight zone nightmare than he was more than willing to let her in on it.

Elizabeth just sat by the window, listening to his everyword with wide eyes and mouth slightly agape as he spun his tale from beginning to end. When he was finished she was speechless. "I...I can't...It's unbelieveable." she finally managed.

Reece chuckled while scratching the back of his neck. "Try living it." he regarded her with a serious expression. "But it's the god's honest truth, Elizabeth. If someone had told me I'd wind up in the past while trying to go home to Rhoad Island I'd have them admitted. Yet..." he trailed off.

The young woman approached him slowly. "I can see it now. I never noticed when you got me out of the tower, but now...You're different than everyone else. You hold yourself differently, talk differently, and the way you dress...but still, 100 yearsin the future?"

" _103_ years." he clarified. "And yeah, it's pretty mind boggling. Seeing everything the way it is now reminds me of how much things have changed in history...well, except the flying city thing. Pretty damn sure we didn't have this where I'm from."

Reece tilted his head when he realized something, "Do you believe me? I don't blame you if you don't, it's a lot to take in considering you just met me."

Elizabeth chewed on her lower lip a bit before looking him in the eyes, "It's...actually not that hard to believe. And I think I might know how you got here." she said in thought.

"You mean that opening portals to other times thing?" he asked making her look at him alarmed. "I saw you do it when I was making my way through the tower. I have to say, that was by far the most amazing thing I've ever seen someone do."

Shaking off her surprise, Elizabeth looked stricken. "I wouldn't say amazing. I haven't really figured out how it works. But what you saw me do was open a 'tear'. It's like opening a doorway to other places and times. I've been able to do it for quite a while now."

The traveler saw her grip her right hand, hiding the thimble that covered the missing half of her pinkey. "So, you think that's how I got here? I fell through one of these 'tears' and wound up somewhere else?" he asked changing the subject.

"It's the best answer I can think of. There's no other way you could have wound up here." Replied Elizabeth turned and looked out the window next to her. "Is that the reason why you saved me?" she asked softly. "Just so you could go back home?"

Reece walked up next to her and put a hand gently on her shoulder. "It was...at first." he admitted causing her to turn to him. "But then I saw what these people were putting you through. Locking you away from the world and treating you like a lab rat for some sick bastard's view of the future. Now all I want to do is get us out of here alive, everything else can come afterward."

The young woman was stunned at his declaration. "What about seeing your family again?"

Sighing, Reece gave her a small smile, "I think they'd understand if they knew what I was doing." he reached into his pocket and removed his IPhone and switched it on. "Until then...this will have to do." he said bringing up a picture of him, his parents and sisters all together and grinning, taken the day he graduated highschool.

Elizabeth looked at the device in awe. "What is it?" she wondered as he slid his finger over the screen and cycling through the images.

"Where I'm from, technology has evolved by leaps and bounds. Average telephones started to become obsolete and portable versions were created so that we can communicate anywhere." Reece explained holding up the IPhone, "This is one of those creations. Combining communication, picture recording, and a multitude of other things."

"Essentially, it's a jack of all trades kind of device." he finished handing the device to her and she gently followed his movements as the screen changed everytime she touched it.

The young woman couldn't believe her eyes. She had seen bits and pieces of the future from the tears she had made in her tower, but here was an actual piece from a century ahead of her time. "This...is amazing." she said tapping one of the icons with the tip of her finger.

She jumped when music started playing from the phone's small speakers. "M-Music." she said as the sounds of Nickelback's 'Saving Me' began playing. "It's so different compared to what I've heard."

"Technology isn't the only thing that's changed." said Reece as she handed the device back to him before shutting it down and pocketing it again. "Our cultures, our languages, art, music, government, so much has changed since this day in age."

The gondola came to a stop at the airship station. Reece picked up the backpack and strapped it on while taking out his machine gun and making sure that it was loaded. "Well...that zepplein isn't going to fly itself to Paris. Better get going." he said opening the door and stepping out into the light. The sun slowly making its decent over the horizon.

"Wait." Elizabeth said grabbing his arm and stopping him. "Reece, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. For calling you a monster. You didn't deserve that after everything you've done for me. I was just-" she was cut off when the traveler pulled her into a small, one-armed hug.

"It's fine, Elizabeth." he said gently. "You were scared, and confused at what was happening. I can't blame you for reacting like that."

Tears welling up in her eyes, Elizabeth couldn't help but blush feeling the warm strong chest pressed against her. The heart beat of her companion echoing through his chest and into her ear. Something about this position made her stomach squirm in a strange way, but at the same time she felt safe.

Looking up at Reece, she wiped the tears away and smiled, "I trust you."

Reece smiled back, "I'll keep you safe. Just stay close and stay alert." Getting a nod of comfirmation, the two teens stepped off of the transport and on to the island where their escape route was being housed.

Checking the area over quickly for hostiles, Reece relaxed a little before scavanging what he could from nearby crates. His machine gun ammo was running low, and he was down to only one Salt. Having had to chase after Elizabeth back at the other station he never had the chance to check around for spare rounds and supplies.

"Reece! Catch!" he looked up in time to grab a health vial being tossed to him. Elizabeth walked up with her arms full of items. A couple bottles of Salts, spare ammo, and a small medical bag. "I found these in a crate off in the corner." she said handing him the stuff so he could store it. "I also read a lot of books on medicine and health care. I'll also do my best to keep you stocked with any supplies I find. and keep you on this side of the abyss."

Reece smiled as he finished putting the items away and downing the health vial to help heal his damaged hand. "Wouldn't want to spend the rest of my life dead. It's good to know there's a doctor close by."

Elizabeth laughed lightly as they made their way up the steps to the nearby building. The sign above reading _**'Soldier's Field'**_ as they approached the turnstile leading inside. Reece looked at his charge seriously, "You ready?"

The young woman took a deep breath and nodded as he went in first, machine gun leading just incase there was another surprise waiting for them on the other side.

X

The building was built like a musieum with everything related to patriotism. The teens quickly realized that the place was built for the benefit of children, teaching them the importance of serving their country and fellow man.

Both of them read between the lines and found that it was a place for Comstock to sway the youth of Columbia to fight in his army and serve his 'rightous ways' in the name of the lord. They felt disgusted with this knowledge and began to survey the rest of the room for anything useful.

Elizabeth picked the lock on a nearby door allowing them into an office area where they made out with a large sum of Silver Eagles and a Lutece Infusion that had been hidden in a desk drawer.

Drinking the glowing fluid, Reece looked at the back of the bottle and saw something he hadn't seen on the others. _**'Infusion increases MRF endurance, physical endurance, and prolongs the use of Vigors. Survival is Key.'**_ _"Guess that explains why I can take more damage and keep going, along with using my powers more."_ he thought as he left the office and found Elizabeth looking at the different sights around the room.

With nothing left to look for, the duo headed for the exit to the room when something sparked off to the corner. The power source that was keeping the doorway open flashed before giving off a small explosion and going dark.

The metal shutter above the doorway shook with the power supply cut off. Reece grabbed Elizabeth around the waist and pulled her back as the shutter slammed down hard on the floor.

"Watch your surroundings. Wouldn't want you to get squished." he said to her before grabbing the bottom of the shutter and pulling it up high enough for his companion to slip through. Making sure the coast was clear before going under and letting it slam back down on the ground.

"What's a 'Shock Jockey'?' Elizabeth asked looking at a poster they walked by as they went deeper into the building.

"Must be a Vigor. Sounds pretty useful to fire lightning bolts from your finger tips." Reece commented looking at the same poster and the image it showed.

"Who needs the power company with that?" said the young woman getting a chuckle out of her companion as they exited the building and found themselves in the middle of a large amusement park.

A loud humming was heard and the ground under them shook slightly as the large airship they were looking for passed over head and headed toward a smaller island just off in the distance. "There's the First Lady." said Reece watching the ship head to the docking area. "We need to find a way to those docks to get aboard."

"Then what are we waiting for?" asked Elizabeth as they made their way down the boardwalk. Passing a few other patrons as they enjoyed the park and the people who were running the various stands around the park.

Reece stopped at a vending machine they were walking by and managed to pick up a few upgrade vials for his Vigors. Giving them more strength and opening new possibilities in how to use them in combat.

"What's your life in the future like?" Elizabeth asked as he drank the Vigor upgrades. "The way you fight, it seems like you're a soldier."

"Trust me, I'm not a soldier." he replied drinking a Murder of Crows upgrade and cringing at the taste. "I was going to college for my degree in mechanics. I like fixing vehicles and wanted it to be my profession when I graduated. As for how I can fight like I do, I trained in Mixed Martial Arts in my spare time and got pretty good at it."

The young woman looked intrigued at his choice in study. "How did you learn to handle a gun?"

"My grandfather. He fought in the second world war in the 1940's. He taught me how to fire a gun, he said it's a good skill to have should I decide to own one myself." Reece shook his head as he took the last upgrade. "Guess it came in handy afterall."

Looking at his charge he raised an eyebrow, "What's with all the questions? If you don't mind my asking."

Elizabeth looked sheepish, "I've never really had a life, Reece. I just wanted to know what your's is like." she said fiddling with her fingers nerviously.

The traveler smiled, "Alright, ask away." he said making her sigh in relief.

"What about your family? What are they like?" she asked.

"Mom's an accountant at a law firm in our hometown in Rhoad Island. Dad's a doctor at the local hospital. I've got two little sisters, Sarah who is 16, and Melanie who is 9. Mom told me when I was leaving school that she was pregnant again." said Reece.

Nodding, the young woman couldn't help but smile. "Your family sounds nice."

Reece smiled too, "They are." he said as they fell into a comfortable silence for a moment as they started moving again. The boardwalk was pretty quiet despite all of the people wandering around. Some were talking in hushed tones about what had happened to monument island, saying that it was the work of the Vox.

A couple said that it was the 'False Shepard' and his crusade against Comstock. The traveler shook his head, those people had no idea how close they were to being right. Very glad that his tattoo was now covered by Elizabeth's ascot so no one could see it.

"Is there someone special in your life?" Elizabeth asked making him look her way as they walked. "A woman?" she clarified.

 _"Kind of a personal question."_ he thought to himself. _"But I guess I did open that little floodgate on my own."_ "I did at one point. But we broke up several months prior to my accident, we both wanted different things and couldn't find common ground in the relationship. So we broke it off on the best terms as possible."

Elizabeth looked a little sad before cheering up a little and taking his left hand with both of hers, "We'll, Paris is said to be the city of love. Maybe you'll find someone new when we get there."

Reece chuckled at the notion, but felt his heart skip a little when he felt her soft fingers wrap around his hand.

After a few minutes they reached the site where the gondola would take them to the airship dock. Pulling the lever, the power conduit next to it fizzled and went out like the one back in the museum when they got there. "Dammit, looks like it needs some kind of charge to get it running again." said the traveler looking the conduit over and checking the wires to see if anything was damaged.

"What about the 'Shock Jockey' Vigor?" asked Elizabeth. "It looks like these power supplies run on the charge they give out."

Scratching the back of his head, Reece saw a sign not too far away from them. _**'Come see the future of power at the Hall of Heros!'**_ and image depicting a bottle of Shock Jockey in the center. "And that's where we can get some." he said pointing at the sign. "Now we just need to get there and grab a bottle before something else happens."

"I think it's this way." said Elizabeth pointing in the direction of a few buildings before they began to head that way. Darkness began to settle in on the floating city painting the sky a dark purple and causing several street lights on the islands to kick on.

Heading up the boardwalk toward the Hall of Heros, a gunship made a pass over the area with its PA system kicked on. "Gentlemen, the False Shepard is loose in the streets of our fair city! Will you suffer the shame of allowing your wives and your daughters to fall prey to his machinations?"

Reece glared at the gunship as they moved, "Really? Their painting me with that kind of picture? Fucking assholes." he muttered as he and Elizabeth moved a little quicker so that they weren't discovered.

"Or will you act? Act for your women folk! Act for your Prophet! Act!" demanded the man on the PA system before it shut down.

The duo reached the bottom of a small flight of stairs and saw three soldiers milling around on guard by the entrance. Reece pulled Elizabeth down behind an empty vendors booth and peered around at their opposition. "Can't risk making a scene here. We need to be subtle." he said looking among the three armed men.

"I take it you have a plan." said his companion. The traveler held out his left hand and sent a Possession into one of the men. The responce was instantanous as the soldier shivered before raising his shotgun and blasting away one of his partners and causing a panic.

"Move! Stay low!" Reece whisper/yelled as he pulled the young woman along with him toward the entrance to their destination. The remaining guard and any civilians around drawn to the attention of the possessed soldier and none the wiser of the two teens that slipped into the building unnoticed.

" 'Hall of Heros closed until further notice'." Elizabeth read off of a nearby sign as they got into the elevator.

"Look on the bright side." Reece replied slamming the button with his fist. "No lines to hold us up." The lifts doors closed and they began riding it to the proper floor. While inside, however, the traveler saw a poster on the wall with a familiar bird-creature imprinted on it. _**'Sing Praise to the Songbird. For he is the Protector of the Lamb.'**_

 _"Nice to have a name to go with the fucked up face."_ Reece thought as lift rumbled softly.

Following his line of sight, Elizabeth shuttered seeing the image of the large being just as the elevator shook and came to a stop. "Shit." Reece cursed as he looked around the small space.

"What was that? Is something wrong?" she asked as the lights flickered.

"Nothing I won't be able to fix." said the traveler as he opened a nearby fuse box and looked over the interior. It was a little different than the circuit breakers he'd been shown how to fix, but the same basic principal applied as he began going through each fuse to see which one would help them get going again.

In the middle of his search, he heard Elizabeth let out a small scream when a soft buzzing sound was heard in the room. "What's wrong?" he asked looking up from the fuse box.

"A bee!" she exclaimed swatting the air at the offending insect. "I hate those things!"

Reece rolled his eyes, "So kill it." he said casually going back to he fuses before him.

"No! It'll sting me!" she said in fear moving out of the bee's flight path.

Sighing, he moved from the fuse box and toward his charge. "Alright, fine. I'll kill it." shaking his head at the childishness of the situation.

"Actually, I have a better idea." said Elizabeth approaching the poster on the wall and make the same tearing motion she did back at the tower. Reece watched with wide eyes as the young woman grunted with a little exertion as she tore open a portal that took up half the elevator.

The opening revealing a open window in a living room somewhere. The breeze from the window filling the room with fresh air as the bee flew out.

"That's...still amazing." said Reece approaching the opening and standing next to Elizabeth.

The young woman smiled, "Most of the time, the tears are dull as dishwater. A different color towel, or tea instead of coffee." she said reaching out and plucking a single rose from the planter outside the window and slipping it behind her ear. "Sometimes I can see something amazing, and I can pull it through."

Experimentally, the traveler reached out and was shocked at being able to touch the wall on the other side of the tear. _"Holy fucking shit! She...she's right. This has to be how I got to this place!"_

"I don't suppose you can pull something through that can get us out of here?" he asked.

Elizabeth shook her head smiling, "No such luck." she looked solumn soon after. "The strange thing was that, every once in a while I'd feel very weak. And I couldn't open a tear for at least a week. But now I-" she stopped mid-sentence when they both saw something fly past the window before them. "Oh no..." she whimpered as the form flew by again. Stopping in mid-air and turning it's gaze toward the window.

The creature, the Songbird, let out a loud shriek before flapping it's large wings and shooting toward their direction.

"Close it..." Reece said pulling out his machine gun and raising it to fight as Elizabeth attempted closing the tear. The Songbird drew in closer and closer, a glowing orange search-light coming from its non-damaged eye shining on them as the distance became shorter. "ELIZABETH CLOSE IT!" he shouted as the creature reached the window with its talons raised.

The portal slammed shut, throwing both teens on to the floor breathing heavily from fear. "Let's...not do that again." Reece said standing and helping her back to her feet. "I don't mind the extra help, just make sure your 'friend' isn't one of the things that comes through those tears."

"I won't let you down." said Elizabeth nodding in agreement as he went back to the fuse box. Finding the damaged fuse and swapping it out causing the elevator to come back online and pick up where it had left off.

When the doors to the elevator opened, the duo saw immediately why the place had been closed down.

It looked like a damn war had been fought here recently. The whole place was trashed with blood and bullet holes covering most surfaces. Empty boxes meant for guns and ammo scattered amongst damaged furnature and statues that had been knocked over and damaged, save for a lone motorized statue of George Washington that was still functioning.

"What happened here?" asked Elizabeth as they made their way out of the hall.

"Around this city? Nothing good." said Reece as they entered the next corridor. Stopping by a couple open crates where two bottles could be seen poking out. They were bronze in color, and had a horse and rider carved into the top with the name _**'Bucking Bronco'**_ etched into the side.

He picked up the bottle and looked it over, wondering what this Vigor did. _"Only one way to find out."_ he thought pulling the top off and taking a large drink.

Nothing happened at first, then Reece felt a splitting headache rip through his skull as his vision began to waver. His hands started shaking as they began to crack and split open like stone, energy crackling around his knuckles as sections of his flesh trembled and moved on their own before settling back into place.

In a flash things went back to normal, Reece shook his head to settle the new information about his aquired power before turning to Elizabeth. "Never gets easier." he said rolling his shoulders.

"Are you sure it's safe to be drinking so many of those things?" she asked a little concerned as they approached a door with a lock and started to pick it.

"Probably not." the traveler admitted while keeping watch. "But anything to give us an edge and keep us alive is better than nothing."

The lock fell away and the door opened allowing the duo in to a wide open area with a bar on one side and a shop on the other. In the center of the two buildings in front of the docking area where skylines were set up was group of soldiers that had gathered while their leader gave a speech. "And when we strike, we will teach Cornelius Slate a lesson."

Reece looked to Elizabeth and pressed his fingers to his lips, she nodded as they crouched down and got a little closer while the man kept speaking. Stopping behind a stack of crates out of sight getting a better view of what they were up against. "Stay here, I deal with them." said the traveler tightening the grip on his machine gun.

"Please be careful." Elizabeth said worried as he moved out of cover and down the steps into the open.

"Now, I know you've all come to think of Slate as some kind of war hero, but he's a traitor to the Prophet! He and his troops have thrown themselves in with the Vox, and it's up to us from preventing Slate's forces from joining..." the squad leader stopped dead when he saw Reece approaching them. "Sonovabitch! It's him! It's the False Shepard!" he shouted making all his men spin around and reach for weapons.

Feeling his new power course through his left arm, the teen snapped his hand out sending a shockwave along the ground that sent all of the soldiers into the air where they were suspended helplessly.

Reece raised his machine gun and emptied the entire clip, killing all the men before dumping the clip and slamming a new one home while the bodies hit the ground. More soldiers began coming out of the nearby buildings, one taking position on the rooftop of the store that the teen quickly possessed to give himself covering fire as began going after the other hostiles.

From her hiding place, Elizabeth watched the fight unfold. Watching Reece systematically take down each armed gunman with the precision of a veteran soldier.

Even the books she had read on warfare didn't add up to what she was witnessing. Bullets and Vigor powers flying in all directions as her companion fought with everything he had. Ducking down behind cover to let his field replenish itself before getting back up and handling those that were still standing.

Dropping the spent machine gun and drawing his pistol, Reece drilled two rounds through a soldier's head while grabbing a Salt off of a nearby crate and drinking it as he rolled out of cover and launched another shockwave sending the last two men into the air leaving them vulnerable as he launched a fireblast.

Both men were burned alive from the attack and fell to the ground as charred corpses. The traveler did a quick scan as he heard the suicidal gunshot from the possessed man from the nearby rooftop.

That's when he heard it, it was faint but very much there. The sound of wings flapping.

At the end of the area by the skylines a flock of crows gathered together and formed a familiar black cloaked figure with a coffin on his back. "Didn't I kill you?" asked Reece slipping a fresh clip into his pistol. The 'Crow' raised his arms and sent a swarm of birds his way forcing the teen to let loose a fire blast that burned them to ashes.

The cloaked man disappeared in a swirl of feathers, and reappered several feet infront of Reece swinging a machete at him. The teen dropped under the attack and slipped on his skyhook to deflect a second, sending sparks shooting through the air.

Squaring off, the two combatants exchanged blows with their respected weapons. A barrage of powers flying in different directions along with bullets as they tried to gain the upper hand.

Reece droved his skyhook hard into the side of the Crow's head knocking him to the side and firing the rest of this clip into his side before he teleported. _"Need a plan."_ he thought searching for his target.

His eyes caught the outline of a gun sticking out from under the body of a soldier he took down before. Flipping the body over, he picked up a rifle that he realized was a Carbine. Much like the one he had been using at the shooting game when he first arrived on Columbia. "Well...machine guns out of ammo." he said pulling spare clips off the body and putting a fresh one into the rifle.

The flapping of crows could be heard as the cloaked figure reappeared and charged the teen intenting on putting an end to the fight. Reece raised his new rifle and fired; the larger round punching a hole through the man's shoulder and making him stumble.

A second and third round followed piercing the Crow's leg and chest forcing him to stagger and collapse to the ground. He attempted to raise his arm to send out another flock when a steel toed boot planted against his forearm and pinning it down.

The barrel of the Carbine was pushed into the man's face before Reece pulled the trigger twice to make sure that he was down for good. Dumping the spent clip and inserting a new one before turning to where his charge was still in hiding.

"Elizabeth! It's all clear!" he called out pulling the bolt back on the rifle and chambering a new round.

The young woman stood up slowly and looked at all the carnage with a slightly pale face. "Such a waste of life." she mumbled walking up to Reece as he finished scavenging what he could from the bodies of the dead and surrounding crates.

"It's what I've been dealing with all day. I could do without it...but..." said her compainion as he pocketed more ammo for his new rifle and pistol. "How come you didn't open a tear back there? It would have come in handy." he asked as they approached the skyline station.

"There has to be a tear around for me to use." Elizabeth explained. "I can't just make them appear out of thin air, they appear at random."

Nodding in understanding, Reece saw a sign hanging on the gondola controls that would take them where they needed to go. "They've shut down gondola access to the Hall of Heros. Maybe because of what's going on with that man Slate." said Elizabeth as they looked for a way across.

"And from the looks of things, Comstock's got this guy on his most wanted list." said Reece looking at the wanted poster of the man she was talking about.

Cornelius Slate was an older man with a bald head and several scars with an eyepatch. Even if the image was just a drawing, the traveler knew a war veteran when he saw one. And from what Comstock's men were talking about, he was considered a war hero before whatever happened that made him a wanted man.

Finding a lever by the main controls. Reece pulled it causing the crates blocking the skyline to drift away and leaving the path open for them. "This is going to be fantastic!" Elizabeth exclaimed pulling a second skyhook out of a nearby crate and slipping it on.

"You have no idea." replied her companion putting his weapons away and taking out his own. "You ready for this?" he asked getting an eager nod in return. The two teens stood at the edge of the platform before leaping up and latching on to the railway and zipping off.

The wind whiping across their faces, the duo had wide smiles on their faces as they rode the skylines toward their next stop. Reece looking over at Elizabeth and felt his chest warm up seeing her smile so brightly again. Even with everything that's going on around them she still had this aura of happiness that just couldn't be tarnished.

It felt good to be around someone like that. Especially with where they were and what they were facing.

Reaching the end of the line, they hopped off on to the ground outside the Hall of Heros. "That was so much fun!" Elizabeth exclaimed beaming.

"It really is a blast, isn't it?" said Reece smiling just as brightly as he swapped his skyhook for his Carbine. "Now, let's get that Shock Jockey and get the hell out of here." The two headed toward the end of the docking area of the smaller island when a gunshot rang out.

The traveler grabbed Elizabeth and pulled her down behind a kiosk when a round punched through a pillar that had been right next to his head.

Peering around the corner and looking up at the building beyond, the traveler looked where the round had come from.

The Hall of Heros looked bad. Windows had been smashed out and statues vandalised by someone with a grudge. The large angel statue in the center of the front courtyard had it's face painted to look like a clown with similar paint covering her breasts. The words at the bottom of the statue had been tampered with so that it read _**'Hall of Whores'**_.

And looking at all the bodies belonging to that of Columbia's police force and the military, not many have been able to reach the building's front steps.

A small glint in one of the second story windows was seen in his peripheral vision and he ducked down as another round tore through the kiosk. "Sniper, top floor on the left." he said to his companion while bracing his Carbine against the wall.

"Wait Reece! Use this." said Elizabeth holding out a longer rifle with a scope attached to it.

"Where the hell did you find a sniper rifle?" Reece asked taking the the rifle and looking it over with a close eye.

"When you pulled me down I saw it leaning against the kiosk on the other side. I thought it would be useful." said the girl as her companion racked the bolt forward and chambered a round.

Looking back around their cover, Reece braced the rifle's barrel against the wall and looked down the scope. Whoever had been shooting at them was trained, and if they even attempted to move out from where they were they would be cut down before they made it to the steps of the building.

Scanning the windows slowly, he searched the whole floor from right to left for any sign of the sniper. He didn't have to wait long.

In the same window he had saw the glint before, a shadow moved and came out into the light of one of the nearby lamps. Revealing a man in armor as he took a similar position to the teen as he himself waited for a target.

Controling his breathing, Reece steadied his aim before squeezing the trigger. A thunderous clap was heard as the rifle registered once. Blood splattered against the nearby wall and the body of the sniper fell down two stories and hit the ground below. "Sniper's down." he said as they got up and began making their way to the building.

Stepping over the bodies of the dead as they approached the steps. Their moment of silence didn't last as the front doors of the building burst open and a dozen men in armor stormed out guns blazing.

Reece wasted no time and raised the sniper rifle, firing another round and putting one of the men charging down. Pulling the bolt to eject the spent shell before slamming if forward and doing the same to another armed man before he could get into cover.

When the gun ran empty, the traveler tossed it aside before switching to his Carbine. Using the iron sights his grandfather had trained him with to put down a couple more, sending out a flock of crows to distract who was left and mopped up what was left of the opposition.

One of the men ran at him with his shotgun primed and ready to blow him in half. What he didn't expect was the teen to kick the barrel of the weapon high causing it to discharge into he air before a strong round house kick caught him in the side of the head and sent him crashing to the ground.

A round from Reece's Carbine put him out for good as everything went quiet again.

Elizabeth came out from her hiding spot behind a statue and saw her companion looking over the body of the man he just took down. "What is it?" she asked approaching him.

"These guys aren't with Comstock's men." said Reece looking over the man's armor. It looked similar to what the soldiers in the city wore, but had metal plating in certain places for added protection. And they were painted in red, white and blue with stars.

"They're armed and suited, but their colors don't match the soldiers I've fought before." he explained. "And their well trained. _Very_ well trained. They came at us as a group, others trying to flank us with a sniper on the upper level."

Elizabeth looked from the dead man to the others, "What do you think it means? Someone is training a small militia to fight?"

Reece stood up and gripped his Carbine. "They've got to be Slate's men. Remember that little rally we walked in on back after we left the amusement park? They were planning on attacking Slate's forces and stop them from joining up with the Vox. And from the looks of this place, this is where they're being holed up."

He began to head in the direction of the front door, his charge right next to him as they began heading up the steps. "Do you think he knows what we're here to get?" she asked when they reached the top.

"If not, he soon will." came the reply when they stepped inside.

 **A/N: Our favorite duo has found themselves in yet another deadly conflict, the questions is what will be the outcome? Another update tomorrow guys, see you then!**


	8. A Man Named Slate

**A/N: With the amount of updating that I have been doing, I really don't have much to say in this author's note.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Bioshock.**

The Hall of Heros was dark, only a handful of lights illuminating the dim corridors and rooms that depicted the defining and heroic people and memories in Columbia's history. A place where the people of the floating city could go and be in awe at the patriotism and sacrifice of the brave men that stood for their way of life.

But to the two teens that stepped inside, it was a place of death and disarray.

Reece swept the front room with his Carbine pressed firmly against his shoulder searching for a target. The interior of the building was as bad as the exterior. Displays and statues were knocked over or vandalised, bodies of patrons and police officers laying on the tiled floor in puddles of their own blood that looked a day or so old.

Elizabeth stepped forward by another George Washington automation and picked up a lit lantern from the body of one of the men that once ran the place. "This looked to be a beautiful place...at one time." she said stepping lightly around the body at her feet. "I just hope we don't run into any trouble while we're here."

"We're just going to grab a bottle of Shock Jockey, and then we're gonna leave. Easy." said Reece as they slowly made their way down the hallway before them.

"If you say so." said the girl from her spot on his left with her eyes flickering from side to side for anything that moved.

The place was quiet, save for the sounds coming from the automations and two still working vending machines. Their footsteps echoed through the halls as they moved around some debris that was on the floor and approached a set of double doors. Reece nudged the door open slightly, barrel of his rifle leading as they entered the large, dark room beyond. "Stay close." he whispered.

Elizabeth's lantern cut through the darkness giving them enough light to observed the room. managed to find a shotgun and some shells on a nearby stand and stored them into his backpack just in case. Switching his rifle for the powerful close range weapon for their current situation.

" 'Our Prophet, Father Comstock. Commander of the 7th Cavalry.' " his charge read off of the plaque on the statue dominating the center of the room.

"I remember my history. And I didn't read anything about that SOB leading the 7th." said Reece thinking back to his Western History course.

"That's because he isn't no hero!" boomed a voice over the building's PA system as spotlights from above shined down on the duo from above forcing them to cover their eyes.

"Slate?" asked the traveler squinting his eyes through the bright lights.

"Indeed, and you must be Reece Vega. The so called 'False Shepard' that has been causing trouble for that bastard Comstock." replied the war veteran. "Have you come here to kill even more of my men?"

"They attacked me, old man. I thought they were Comstock's lackies before I saw the colors they were wearing." replied Reece. "All we want is a bottle of Shock Jockey and we'll be on our way. We won't cause any more trouble for your people."

The PA was silent at first, "You misunderstand, Vega. I'm not angry for you killing my men."

Reece and Elizabeth shared a glance wondering what the old man was talking about. "Why not?" asked the girl.

"Because he gave them an honorable death on the battlefield." said Slate as though it really was a great honor. "And that is all a warrior should desire."

Reece shook his head, "That may have been true for the Spartans. But personally, surviving a conflict and living to see another day is a much more honorable path to me." he admitted. "And if what you're saying is true, than a lot of Comstock's men have been given the same honor in the last few hours.

"Comstock's men are cowards!" Slate roared. "They had no chance at defeating us on the battlefield! So they imprisoned us here, to starve us and treat us like mad dogs! After what my men and I have endured we deserve a true warriors death!"

Neither teen liked the sound of that, "What are you getting at, Slate?" asked Reece gripping his shotgun out of reflex and putting himself in front of Elizabeth for protection.

"All my men have left is a choice: Die at the hands of a tin soldier like Comstock...or a real one!" Slate said chuckling. "You have proven yourself to be a capable warrior, therefore _you_ will grant my men the honor they rightfully deserve, Vega!"

Lights came on all around the room, the doors under them burst open and Slate's men began pouring inside with clubs and knives ready to fight.

Reece spun around, making sure Elizabeth was behind him as he fired the shotgun. Killing one of the men instantly as he racked the pump handle and fired again taking another man down. This repeated until the weapon ran empty as more of Slate's men poured into the room.

Flipping the weapon around and using it as a club, the teen slammed it against the head of another soldier and knocking him hard into the statue of Comstock before launching a Possession into one of the men as he drew a machine gun, turning him against his comrades as he began gunning them down.

Two more tried to flank him from behind, but Reece was quicker. Driving his elbow into the face of the one on his right and shattering his nose. Pulling the knife from the stunned man's grasp and jamming it under the second one's collarbone before he could register what was happening.

Reece pulled out his pistol and shot the man who had blood gushing down his face from the broken nose when he heard Elizabeth scream.

The last man in the room had cornered her and had his club at the ready. The Traveler raised his arm and sent a flock of crows that began tearing into the man and herding him away from the young woman, when he got a safe distance away a round drilled through his temple and put him down with the others.

"Elizabeth, you okay?" he asked helping her to her feet and looking her over.

"I...I'm fine. Sorry for worrying you." said Elizabeth with a shacky smile.

"You See?! You see, you are a killer, Vega! A true soldier under the surface! You're the one that can give us the honor that has been robbed from us." said Slate over the PA.

"Please stop this!" shouted Elizabeth. "We just want the Shock Jockey, no one has to die anymore!"

"If it's the Vigor you and your companion want. Then he will have to kill his way to get it." replied the war veteran.

Reece gritted his teeth. These men were throwing their lives away all for nothing. Slate was out of his goddamn mind. "A true leader doesn't send his men to slaughter. Is honor really worth sacrificing what made you a soldier?!" he asked feeling sick about the whole thing.

"You're generation will never truly understand the hardships me and my men had to face. Not until you yourself have faced what we had to on the battlefield." replied Slate. "Like I told your pretty friend, if you want what you came here for...you're going to have to kill for it." the PA clicked off leaving the teens in silence among the men Reece had just killed.

"He's mad..." said Elizabeth biting her lip. "Why won't he just give us what we came here for?"

Her companion shook his head before he began scavanging what he could from the bodies. "I have a pretty good theory. My grandfather used to tell me about people in the war who had been through and survived so much that they felt that nothing save for a bullet could kill them. A bullet from an enemy. Slate has probably been through the same with his troops."

The young woman looked a little disturbed by the mere idea of that being a possibility. "I can't believe this, it's insanity!"

"That it is. But we're not getting out of Columbia without that Vigor. As shitty as it is for me to say, we're going to have to play by Slate's rules. For now at least." said Reece as they moved to a large storage room where he was able to stock up on ammo, Salts and even found an infusion sitting on a workbench close to the back.

With nothing else of value in the direct vacinity, the duo moved cautiously through the halls of the building. Reece leading with his shotgun freshly loaded as they entered a room that branched off into two directions. Each leading to a different scenery-like display of past battles.

Deciding to go right first, they found themselves entering the _**'Wounded Knee Exhibit.'**_ of the museum.

"The tin soldier has taken credit for the deeds of the real ones." came Slate's voice from the walls. "He would never know true honor, stealing the glory of those who rightfully earned it."

 _"Christ, what the fuck did Comstock do to this guy to piss him off this much?"_ Reece wondered as they went through the exhibit. Elizabeth jumped once or twice when a large cut out of a Native-American popped out with a hatched, but they got through it and to a set of double doors that lead to a small room.

In the center was a stage with another George Washington automation with a banner before it reading _**'Our Prophet. The Hero of Wounded Knee.'**_ "I'm starting to see why Slate's fighting against Comstock so badly." said Elizabeth as they moved around and into the next toom.

"If what he said when we got here is true," replied Reece. "Taking away a man's honor from the battles hes won is worse than death for a lot of people."

It was dark, but the back drops were similar to the beginning of the exhibit. Though that didn't last when the lights kicked on. Bathing the walls in an orangeish-red flow similar to fire as cut outs of indians moved about.

"Here's the young soldier I spoke of!" Slate said with a hint of pride over the PA system. "The kind of man Comstock pretended to be! See if I told you true!"

A battle cry echoed through the air, Reece looked up and saw one of Slate's men running down a ramp at him holding a club. His shotgun registered, blowing a fist sized hole in his chest and putting him down as the sound of more soldiers began to fill the room. "Elizabeth, hide! I'll deal with these guys!" he shouted, firing on another soldier as he came into view.

"I'm not leaving you alone! You'll be overwhelmed!" she cried back swinging her lantern and managing a hit on one of the men. Knocking him to the ground long enough for Reece to shoot him.

"I'll be fine. Keeping you safe is more important." said the Traveler firing a shockwave and suspending three soldiers in the air and putting them down with his shotgun before launching a Possession into one that was up high with a Carbine.

Reece smiled at his companion, "I'll be alright, just stay out of sight until it's over."

His charge didn't look convinced, but seeing the look in his eyes settled her fears enough to follow his lead.

With Elizabeth out of harms way, Reece when back to focusing on his opposition which continued to grow by the second. Slate was throwing a small platoon at him and if he wanted to get the two of them out of there he would have to get creative.

"Alright," he muttered while knocking back a Salt. "Who's next?"

His shield flared as machine gun rounds bounced off of it. Drawing his Carbine, Reece spun around and put a round through the head of a soldier before readjusting his aim and taking down another that came at him with a knife.

A group of three came in through the door he and Elizabeth came through before and found themselves running into a fireblast that sent them scattering in different directions. One of them lit a blaze from the blast and screamed as he was burned alive.

Reece looked down the iron sights and shot the downed men before they could stand. Dumping the clip and slamming in a fresh one when he heard loud clanking steps coming from the path the group had come through.

Coming around the corner, the leather and metal plated from of a Fireman stepped into the room. Armor painted with patriotic colors like the rest of Slate's men and flames licking around his gloved hands as he leered at the 'False Shepard' through the visor in his helmet.

"Time to burn!" the Fireman roared as he unleashed a wave of flames at the teen. Destroying his shield and forcing him into cover so that it could recharge. "Our leader claims that you will give us what we have been denied. Prove yourself!"

The traveler leaned out of cover and fired half his rifle's clip into the armor plating of the Fireman. Rolling back in when a volley of fireblasts were thrown his way. "Can't get him from the front, gotta try and hit him from behind." he said outloud before firing a shockwave courtasy of his Bronco ability.

The attack caused the Fireman to stumble back giving Reece the time to bolt from his hiding place and up the nearby ramp that lead to a small balcony that overlooked the room. The Fireman stabilized himself and skulked into the room searching for his target and found the spot he had been hiding was vacant.

"Stop hiding and face me like a true soldier!" he shouted before launching fireblasts in different directions. Setting some of the scenery on fire in the process.

Sliding into cover from a stray blast, Reece looked up and was a little surprised to see Elizabeth crouched down next to him. "Having fun?" she asked a little uneasy as the temperature in the room started to climb.

"Oh yeah, a blast." he said back as they heard the Fireman stomping below them. "We need to take him out if we wanna get out of here." he peered over the chunk of scenery they were behind and saw the Fireman heading toward the ramp, his back to them and completely unaware of where they were located.

 _"Now's my chance."_ he thought switching the rifle for the shotgun. "Reece wait!" looking down, Reece caught a box of shells tossed to him by his charge. Nodding his thanks, he loaded the rounds into the gun and braced himself before leaping over the scenery and landing on the ground below.

Quickly crossing the distance between him and the armored man, he jammed the barrel of the shotgun into the weakened parts of the suit and pulled the trigger, The Fireman grunted from the pain as blood splashed across the ground under him.

Reece racked the handle and fired a second shot, then a third, then the last one as the flames around the man's hands died and he collapsed to the ground dead, blood oozing out from under his armor and pooling beneath him.

"That went by a little easier than the last time I fought one of these guys." he said loading four fresh shells into the shotgun as Elizabeth came down to join him.

"You see, young miss? You see the man that Comstock wishes he was?" asked Slate over the PA with a grin in his voice. "And Vega here is well under _half_ that bastard's age! The shame he would feel to see this here and now!"

"Enough of this Slate!" Reece shouted. "Just give us what we came here for!"

"I will." replied the war veteran. "After you do the same for me. Come and look for me amongst the boxers." the PA system cut out as the teens finished salvaging what they could and leaving the exhibit.

"Boxers?...I think that's a term used for the Chinese." said Elizabeth.

"Must be the next exhibit." said the traveler. "We better get there and-" he was cut off when they hear the sound of airship engines outside the building's walls.

"Can you hear Comstock's tin soldiers coming to silence us?" asked Slate. "But we are the true patriots! The history that does not fit in their books."

Reece narrowed his eyes. _"Comstock's men coming here complicates things."_ he thought gripping his weapon. _"But hopefully these guys will be more focused on killing each other than dealing with us."_ they headed toward the center room and headed into the _**'Peking Exhibit'**_.

X

The second exhibit had been worse than the last. It was as if Slate had gauged Reece's abilities in the 'Wounded Knee Exhibit' and upped the number of men he had waiting for them in the 'Peking Exhibit'

Having the teens go through nearly a dozen soldiers, a Crow and a second Fireman had worn them down. Elizabeth did everything that she could to help, tossing ammo, Salts and Health vials she found laying around to her companion as he fought off the onslaught.

Slate shouting his praise for all the death and slaughter over the PA system as though he were a preacher at church. Reece went through the attacks in a rage. At Slate, his men, Comstock, everyone who thought that just throwing lives away like trash was like some kind of big honor.

If Slate wanted to die in battle so badly...Reece was seriously contemplating granting his wish.

When the last of the soldiers finally fell, the duo didn't find Slate anywhere and decided to return to the center room. Sitting on a nearby bench to catch their breath after the large firefights they had been in since arriving.

"I hope Paris is worth all of this trouble." Elizabeth muttered. Smiling her thanks when Reece handed her a bottle of water from their pack.

"After everything you and I have been through, I think we could use a long and easy vacation." said the traveler as he leaned his head back against the wall behind them. He was rather impressed with himself that he had been able to go through so much combat and still have the strength to keep going.

Maybe it was the Vigors. Maybe it was the Infusions the twins had hidden for him. Or maybe it was his own will that kept him going. The will to get home, the will to survive this...the will to keep Elizabeth safe.

His musings were broken when Slate's voice crackled over the intercoms. "I've got what you need, Vega. Come find me past the First Lady's memorial and we will finish this."

Reece stood up and drew his Carbine, more than ready to take down this madman before things got too far out of hand. "Reece...you aren't really considering killing him, are you?" asked Elizabeth as they headed toward the door leading out of the room.

"That depends on him." replied Reece. "He attacks us, we defend ourselves. But I'm not going to put a bullet in his head just because Comstock butchered his pride."

The door leading to the memorial burst open and four men charged. They were met with a Bronco shockwave and suspended in the air long enough to be gunned down clearing the path.

The room the men came from was filled with candles, large paintings of Lady Comstock were on every wall marking how important the woman had been to the people of the city and the Prophet.

Stepping toward the largest painting in the room, Reece couldn't help but find the regal woman beautiful. She held herself with an aura of confidence and pride in the paintings that was well reflected. "Say what you want about Lady Comstock, the woman had an eye for fashion." said Elizabeth causing Reece to roll his eyes.

"You've seen what Comstock has done to my history. Now see how he's rewritten his own." said Slate as they entered the courtyard outside the memorial room.

Reece narrowed his eyes in confusion, _"Rewritten his own history? What's this old bastard going on about?"_

Walking through a small courtyard/garden. The two teens stood before a statue of Lady Comstock holding a baby in the air while riding in a chariot pulled by a horse. " 'The Seed of the Prophet lay in the Womb of our Lady but for a Single Week.' " Elizabeth read off of the plaque and going to a second " 'But the Child took ill, and our Lady Prayed for the Prophet's Heir Day and Night.' "

"That's impossible." said Reece shaking his head. "It takes roughly 35 weeks for a baby to be born without possible complications. After one week...the baby wouldn't have enough functions to live."

"Comstock had a child; but my books never said anything about the child." said Elizabeth as they moved on.

Reece shrugged, "Probably has something to do with what Slate said about Comstock 'rewritting his history'. Covered it up so that it wasn't recorded in any text. So the question is why?"

Going up a set of steps, they entered another part of the building and recieved a shock in the form of a familiar angel statue set up on a high rise in the center of the room. A plaque on the bridge leading to the statue read; _**'The Seed of the Prophet. The Prophet took his Seed to a Place of Refuge.'**_.

".,.That's my tower..." Elizabeth said covering her mouth.

Everything came into crashing clarity. Comstock took his child and put them in a safe place. A place where no one could reach them and would ensure their safety for when it was their time to take his place when he couldn't lead.

A place...that was in the shape of an angel that once overlooked all of Columbia.

Elizabeth's face had paled, as did Reece's when the conclusion came to them. "...I'm...I'm..." she couldn't say it.

"Comstock's daughter..." Reece finished for her feeling a chill go up his spine just saying the words.

Elizabeth shook her head not wanting to believe it. "It...It can't be true! It just can't be!"

It was at that point certain events replayed in Reece's mind. His encounter with Comstock, getting Elizabeth out of the tower, what they had read just outside the door not a minute ago. It was all connected somehow...

A stereotypical lightbulb went off in the traveler's head. "I don't think you are." he said making the young woman spin around to face him. "When I ran into Comstock, before I got you out of the tower, he said something about _liberating_ you from somewhere. Then there is the 'one week pregnancy' thing we read about outside kind of makes it add up."

"What are you getting at?" asked Elizabeth trying to find where this was all going.

"I'm starting to believe that Lady Comstock had a miscarriage after about a week. Without an heir, Comstock wouldn't have anyone to lead the city when he passed. I think he nabbed you from somewhere and passed you off as his own and said it was only a week pregnancy to make it seem like some kind of miracle." said Reece.

Silence swallowed the room, the young woman was in deep thought as she mulled things over. "That...I don't..." tears welled up in her eyes as the full force of the idea of her being kidnapped from her family and used as some kind of tool to control the people of Columbia.

A pair of strong arms embraced her, allowing her to bury her face into Reece's neck as he rubbed small circles on her back. "I'm sorry. I was thinking out loud, I didn't mean to make you upset." he said sounding genuinly sorry.

"It's not your fault." she mumbled into his collar. "It does put things into perspective though. I always wondered why I was in that tower, why my family would put me through that. To know that it wasn't their fault..." she looked up at him with tears still in her eyes. "I want to find them, Reece."

Her companion nodded, "We will. For all we know that's why your so hung up on going to Paris. That could be where you're from." he said making her smile at the possibility. A moment later the two realized they were still embraced and stepped away blushing. "We should get back to finding Slate and that Shock Jockey. The sooner the better." Reece said as they headed to the door leading out of the room.

Taking a hairpin out, Elizabeth began working on the lock. "What would Comstock gain from taking another person's child? Looking good in front of his followers seems too shallow. There has to be something else."

"There is." said Reece as the lock fell away in record time. "He was training you to take over the mantle as leader when he passed. That's probably one of the big reasons why he had you locked up in that tower. You were to be his replacement."

Elizabeth's faced morphed into one of anger, "Well I want a puppy, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna get one!"

Reece smirked at her fiery spirit. "Then how bout we piss off the old man by taking away his 'legacy'?" His charge gave a similar smirk back and nodded.

"That sounds like a good idea to me."

The next room was another memorial. This one depicting the Murder of the First Lady. A statue of the Vox's leader, Daisy Fitzroy, stood behind a corner with a red silk strip in it's hands while a statue of Lady Comstock kneeling in prayer.

 _"The leader of the Vox killed Comstock's wife?"_ Reece wondered looking at the statues as they passed through the room. _"Too conveinent. Especially after what we may have figured out in the last room. Who knows what else Comstock is hiding."_ The duo went through the rest of the memorial and through a second one that had been dubbed the _**'Vengeance of the Prophet'**_ before coming to an iron gate that blocked their path.

"I can get through these bars, but you're too broad." said Elizabeth with a slight smile.

Reece scoffed and waved to the gate, "Be my guest, oh mistress of doorways."

The young woman shook her head before slipping through the bars easily thanks to her slim and petite form. "I'll scout ahead and see if there's some way to move forward." she said as she began looking around.

"Just be careful, we don't know if there are any more of Slate's men waiting for us." came the reply as he waited for her to get back. Straining his ears and eyes for hostiles when he heard something similar to a loud ripple coming from behind the gate. "What...?" Reece turned back and saw a wooden construction built tall with a lift hook attached to it.

"It's a tear. Something I can bring into this world." said Elizabeth from the other side of the gate.

Reece took out his sky-hook and launched himself up on to the hook and dropped down on the other side. "That's convenient. Thanks for the 'lift'." he said getting a small laugh out of his companion as they moved to the ledge that overlooked an empty and open courtyard down below.

A small flight of steps lead up to a set of doors that would lead them to hopefully where Slate was holed up. A small squad of his men laid in wait behind makeshift barricades.

"Ambush, about five of them." said the traveler when he caught sight of two flashes of light. One of them in the air by the balcony across from them, the second on the ground in the center of the courtyard. "Are those more tears?" he asked pointing them out.

"They are, and we can use them against Slate's men." said Elizabeth crouching down next to him. "One will give us more hooks for higher ground. The other gives us a turret. Which one do you think we will need."

Reece took out his Carbine and braced it on the railing, staring down the sights as he spoke to his charge. "Open the turret up. We already have the high vantage point."

Elizabeth held out her hand and concentrated. A beam of light shot from her palm and struck the tear down below, the opening expanded until there was a flash of light. In the place of the tear was a grainy, but solid, automated MG turret that kicked on and began peppering the waiting soldiers with heavy rounds.

From his vantage point, Reece fired a round from his rifle. Splattering one of the soldiers' brains against the wall behind him as he aimed at another that was hunkered down behind a pillar and firing another two bullets into him as the turret made quick work of the rest.

Elizabeth opened one of the hook tears allowing the duo leapt down to the lower level just as a rocket connected with the turret and destroyed it. The tear closing right afterward as they got into cover.

Coming down the steps was a heavily armed man with a rocket launcher, two more men following him as they opened fire on their cover. Reece ran out into the open drawing their fire away from Elizabeth as he launched a flock of crows at them. A shockwave followed sending them airborne and allowing him to draw his shotgun and blast each of them.

The rocket launcher toating soldier groaned and attempted to stand but was met with two more blasts from the shotgun. Blowing through his light armor and ripping his chest open like a fountain of blood and bone.

Popping the breach open, Reece began loading in more rounds as Elizabeth came out of her cover. "Comstock's pet can do some wonderful tricks. Do you know what you've got there, Vega?" came the older man's tone from the nearby speakers.

"Your starting to piss me off Slate!" Reece roared at the building. "Hand over the fucking Vigor and let's put an end to this!"

"You know what I want, soldier. That's the only thing that will end this conflict. How many men have you killed since you arrived here? What's one more to that list?" the teen shook his head as he and Elizabeth climbed the steps and entered the building.

The Hall of Heros gift shop was just as dark as the previous rooms they had found themselves in. A couple of president automations were running in the corners of the room spouting off about one thing or another before sparks began shooting from their forms before shutting down.

Elizabeth pointed out a couple of tears, one of them being another automated turret, in the room as they made their way through in search of either Slate or the Shock Jockey.

"Tin men, Vega. That's what Comstock will turn us into!" Slate shouted over the PA. "Wires and gears to replace heads and hearts!" A spotlight came on illuminating another automation at the back of the gift shop. The mechanical president came on and slammed its fist into the window, cracking the glass.

"Reece!" Elizabeth said with a trembling voice getting behind her companion. The glass shattered, the motorized patriot reached back and pulled out crank gatling gun and began spraying rounds all through the room.

"ELIZABETH GET DOWN!" Reece shouted as he pulled her down. His shield shattering in seconds while the heavy rounds tore into the desk, sending wood splinters flying in all directions as the traveler covered the woman under him with the debris showering down around them.

Sweat pouring down his face as chunks of wood covered his back and shoulders, Reece looked around the room for anything that could help them. His shotgun laid on the floor out in the open, dropped when he tackled Elizabeth to the ground.

"I'll draw it's fire! When it's not looking open the tear with the turret and give me some cover fire!" he said over the hail of rounds.

"Are you crazy?!" Elizabeth shouted back as the robotic president began to move closer. Their cover slowly being destroyed with every round shearing through it.

"No time! Just trust me!" came the reply as the traveler leapt up, shield fully charged again as he bolted from behind the desk and toward the opening off to the side. The motorized patriot's head followed him, swinging it's gatling gun around after its target causing his shield to flare up and shatter again as he made it behind a wall.

Pulling out his Carbine, Reece saw a flash out of the corner of his eye and an MG turret materialize out of one of the tears in the room. The automated gun came online, swinging around and opening fire on the robot president who turned and returned fire on the new threat.

With the gunfire off of him, the traveler conjured a fire-grenade and hurled it at the machine. The explosion making it stagger to the side and switch its aim back to the human target as the damaged turret continued to fire upon it.

The attack seemed to go on for an hour when it had been only a few minutes. Bullets and fireblasts flew through the air like angry hornets tearing up the surrounding room.

Sparks began to fly out of the motorized patriot's form under the assault as it turned back to the turret to finish it off. Allowing Reece to reload his weapon and shouldering it before charging out of cover, scooping up his shotgun off the floor as he ran up behind the machine and firing round after round into the exposed gears sending sparks and chunks of metal flying out and clattering to the floor.

The automation shuttered under the sudden attack, but managed to swing itself around in an attempt to hit the teen with its weapon.

Reece ducked down under the attack and fired the last round into the things kneecap. Blowing the joints to salvage and dropping it to a kneeling position. It attempted to stand, but with the loss of its knee it couldn't stabilize itself enough to raise its weapon.

Glowing eyes looked up as the teen before it reloaded shells into his shotgun. "V-V-V-Victory at a-a-a-a-any cost." it stuttered out in a mechanical voice still trying to raise its weapon.

"Got that right." said the traveler pressing the barrel of his weapon in the robot president's face and pulling the trigger. The blast shearing through the metal skin and 'brain' of the machine and offlining it instantly.

When the body crashed to the floor unmoving, Elizabeth stood up from her place behind the desk. Chunks of wood in her hair and on her blouse as she looked at all the damage. "That was...intense." she said running her fingers through her dark brown locks.

"I shutter to think what else could be laying in wait around this place." said Reece kicking the mechanical body at their feet. "Let's grab the Vigor and get out of here before any more of these things show up."

They began searching the room for any storage rooms or another way out. Elizabeth opened the other two tears in the room allowing Reece to gather bottles of Salt and a large pack of medical supplies.

"You see, Vega? Your just as much a soldier as any of the brave men that served under me all those years ago." said Slate. "But it doesn't matter. Comstock took our stories and scrubbed away our soul. Now...he's coming for me...and when I'm gone, all that will be left is the lie."

Ignoring the old man's words, the teens managed to find a locked door leading to a maintenance room. Elizabeth made quick work of the lock and they stormed inside. Both breathing a sigh of relief when they saw a crate in the back with the symbol of Shock Jockey stamped on the lid. "Yes! Finally!" Reece said fast walking over to the crate.

"It's about time we got a break." said Elizabeth in relief as her companion set his weapon down and pulled the lid off the crate.

Nothing. The crate was empty and the bottles of Vigor around the room were all empty.

"God Fucking DAMMIT!" Reece shouted kicking the crate hard enough to shatter one of the sides. "I hate these goddamn mind games!"

Elizabeth let him work out his frusteration while slowly simmering in her own at the situation. She looked to the crate and saw something. A purple-ish/blue liquid was stained on the side in the form of a handprint. "Wait, Slate must have taken them. Look!" she said pointing to the matching footprints leading away from the crate.

The traveler followed the tracks and narrowed his eyes, "He's really going to make this difficult. Guess we have no choice but to fight him now." he said re-drawing his Carbine and following the trail. They walked back into the gift shop and stopped dead in their tracks.

Electric volts were shooting through the air among between glowing crystals on the ceiling and floor.

"Is that...?" asked Elizabeth.

"Shock Jockey...Slate's here." Reece finished. The electric charge between the crystals prevent them from passing, he raised his rifle and put a round through one of those crystals. Shattering it on impact and disrupting the link and allowing them passage.

They exited the building back to the courtyard just in time to see an airship hover by overhead. "Comstock's men are moving in. We need to find that old bastard before they do." said Reece as they stepped out into the open.

"It was SLATE who killed for his country at Wounded Knee!" roared the old man in question as a bolt of eletricity arced over the railing where they had come from. Striking the ground and illuminating a sign posted on the wall that read _**'We Deserve a Soldier's Death'**_. "It was SLATE who stormed the gates of Peking! SLATE!"

Cornellius Slate stood on the second level of the courtyard, electricity traveling across his form as he leered down at them. "Comstock's coming, Vega! But our lives won't satisfy him, oh no!" More bolts arched down and solidified into crystals creating a spiderweb of electric volts in the air. "He won't rest until he's lured us into tin! I won't let him! He took my past, but that's all he's getting from me!"

"It's over Slate! Just give us the Vigor and end this fucking madness!" Reece shouted up at the man.

Slate shook his head, "You're right, soldier. It is over...Here you go boys! A soldier's death awaits!" he called out as doors on the ground floor swung open and his soldiers began pouring into the courtyard.

The duo stood close together, bracing themselves for the coming fight while hoping they would make it through. Reece charged his powers to his arm as he took aim at the first soldier that came into range and pulling the trigger.

 **A/N: The battle in the Hall of Heroes is coming to an end in the next installment, and with it a moral choice that many were not given in the game's canon.**

 **Update tomorrow, you know what to do.**


	9. Honorable Warrior

**A/N: Once again, I have nothing creative. So lets get on with it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Bioshock.**

The once proud Hall of Heroes had indeed fallen from its original grace. Going from a museum to a POW camp for Slate and his followers.

And at that moment it was a battlefield. The courtyard outside the gift shop was being torn apart by gunfire and explosions as the shamed war veteran's forces worked together to try and kill the one that had been promised to give them an honorable death.

Reece, for his part, was firing his weapons and throwing his powers around like clockwork. Elizabeth was hunkered down behind a low wall, opening any and all tears that could help them. Bringing forth an MG turret and a crate filled with machine gun ammo after her companion tossed away his spent shotgun and picked up one of the soldiers' dropped weapons.

Two Possessions flew through the air into two gunmen forcing them to turn against their comrades. With bullets flying in three different directions, the gathered soldiers didn't know which way to go. And being in the open left them vulnerable as the rounds cut them down.

Slate looked down with a small grin, his men were being granted their greatest honor. To die on the field of battle against a true opponent. The teen was proving to be quite the warrior, and the aging veteran would have been proud to have such potential on his side when he went to war in the past.

Raising his hand, he threw a volley of electric volts down to the ground and forming more crystals along the ground. The young man was good, but he wasn't going to make it easy on him or his partner.

X

The yellow field around him shattered like glass forcing him to drop down behind a low wall. Even with the added help from Elizabeth's tears and his Vigors, Slate's men were a unified from and attacked as a group. Some even coming at him from different angles to throw him off.

If it hadn't been for the possessed soldiers and the MG turret they would have been taken by surprise a while ago.

Reece dumped the clip in his Carbine and slammed in a fresh one as he targeted a couple of men on the railing above the courtyard and fired. The rounds punching through their armor and dropping them quickly.

"Reece here!" Elizabeth shouted tossing him a couple of clips for the rifle she found laying around as she looked for more useful items while staying out of the line of fire.

The number of soldiers was dwindling slowly. But more seemed to be coming keeping the duo pinned down. The turret took too much damage and finally shut down before the tear closed again. The power over the two soldiers wore off and they took their own lives in the process leaving Reece alone to fight the soldiers once more.

 _"What I wouldn't give for something a little bigger."_ the traveler thought swapping to his machine gun and knocked back a Salt.

He fired a shockwave sending frour men airborne before being mowed down with machine gun fire. He followed up with three fire-grenades which set up like landmines. Each one of them tripped when another squad stormed the courtyard and were blown apart when they got too close.

Several fireblasts followed setting a few other men on fire making them easier targets. "Is that all you can muster, soldier?" Slate called down from his perch. "Come on now, Vega! Don't disappoint the boys!"

Another group of men stormed the courtyard, a Fireman among them hurling fireblasts about making the environment even more treacherous.

Reece launched a flock of crows that immediately started attacking the soldiers as he raised his machine gun and emptied the clip into them. The Fireman's armor absorbed the rounds, but the men around him fell dead to the ground. A burst of flames shot from the man's form burning the remaining birds to ashes before he turned his attention to the teen as he reloaded.

The traveler leapt out of the way as a volley of fireblasts came at him. Going behind a pillar as the attacks burned the stone around him, he leaned out and fired on the armored man. The heat around him starting to rise causing sweat to drip down his face.

Closing in on the pillar, the Fireman launched another powerful blast forcing his target out of cover. What he didn't expect was for the teen to run straight at him. His right foot swining out in a roundhouse kick with the steel toed tip stricking the side of the helmeted head of the flaming attacker and putting a dent in it.

Reece followed up with a couple hard punches to the unarmored parts of the Fireman's suit making him stagger then followed up with a kick to the back. He ducked down when an armored fist swung for his head, slipping on his sky-hook and delivering an uppercut to the man's chin snapping his head back long enough for him to shoot a shockwave into him point blank.

The Fireman skidded back across the ground from the sudden attack, quickly righting himself and sending fireblasts in all directions.

Reece rolled out of the way of the attack and behind a low wall. "Reece overhere!" He looked up when he saw Elizabeth toss something his way. Setting the gun down, he caught the larger object and was shocked to see that it was the RPG launcher one of the men had carried when they first passed through.

Checking the weapon over and getting a good understanding of it, he set the heavy weapon on his shoulder and looked down the sights as the Fireman began skulking his way again. Bracing himself, he pulled the trigger and staggered back a step as an explosive round flew from the weapon and struck the armored man in the chest.

The following explosion ripped through his armor and blew his body apart. Bloody chunks of armor sent through the air and clattering all over the courtyard as everything fell silent. Reece's eyes scanned the doorways and the balcony above for any more hostiles as he slowly stood up out of cover. "Is it clear?" asked Elizabeth standing up from her hiding spot.

Before he could answer, loud clanking footsteps echoed through the open space. Through the doorway on the right, a motorized patriot stomped it's way into the courtyard. Chaingun leading as it turned toward them. Glowing eyes burning as it began to turn the crank on the weapon.

Reece didn't give it a second. Raising the RPG launcher and firing, the explosive slamming the machine in the chest sending it staggering back several steps. The traveler popped open the launcher and ejected the spent ammo casing and inserted a new one. Closing the weapon he aimed and fired again.

The automation's left arm was blown off at the shoulder. Sparks and smoke coming from its form as it tried to continue functioning. One final rocket blew the upper half of the machine to scrap metal, whatever remained fell to the ground motionless.

"Now it's clear." Reece said tossing the spent launcher to the ground and picking up his machine gun while Elizabeth came out of hiding. "Come on, let's get Slate and end this."

They went through the door the motorized patriot came through and up a flight of stairs. Making their way down a long hallway only to see a bright flash at the end.

Slate stood at the archway, arm cocked back and hurling clusters of electricity toward them as they ducked down behind a display case. "Come Vega! The end is near!" the old man called out as he vanished down the hallway next to him.

"It better be." Reece muttered raising his machine gun and leading Elizabeth the rest of the way. Destroying electric traps along the way to clear the path for them. Four soldiers came out with their guns ready only to be cut down by a combination of fireblasts and machine gun fire along the way.

The fighting finally all came to an end, the two teens stepped through a couple sets of doors and found themselves back in the 'Vengence of the Prophet' exhibit. And laying on the ground against a low wall with a spotlight over him, was Slate.

Reece kept Elizabeth behind him as they slowly approached the downed veteran, machine gun trained on him. After what the bastard had put them through they wanted to be ready for anything.

"Is he...?" Elizabeth asked.

When they were within distance, Reece knelt down and reached out to check his pulse. The man perked up, hand grasping the teen's wrist as he coughed. "You're...not done here soldier!" he rasped out. "Eat everything that's on your plate!" He pulled his hand away and raised the other one which held a pistol. "Finish it, Vega!"

Reece looked down at the gun then back at the veteran. The lone eye showed that the fight had all but been kicked out of the old man; striped of his honor, his command, everything that defied him and handed to Comstock on a silver platter. To him, death was the only escape. The only way to hold on to what pride he had left.

The teen grasped the handle of the pistol and took it. "Reece!" Elizabeth said with a gasp.

Slate chuckled, "That's right, kid...do it. Prove yourself to be the soldier I know you are. Give me the honor I deserve! DO IT!"

For the first time since this whole thing began, the traveler didn't know what to do. Even after the hell Slate put him and Elizabeth through, could he take his life? The only reason he killed so many up to this point was because of survival. This went against everything he was ever taught.

Then he remembered something that had been told to him long ago; _"A soldier without his honor is a broken man. He will always believe that death is the answer, they don't always realize that their honor can be regained. You just got to light a fire under them and show them that the fight is never over when it comes to your pride."_ His grandfather's words rang through his head from one of the many times he spoke about his time in the war.

Words that stayed with him, even now when he needed them to come to a decision.

Looking down at the pistol, he made his choice. "So that's it?" he asked making Slate and Elizabeth look at him. "Are you that weak willed that you want some random man from off the street end your life? A man with no training and no decorations acting as executioner to a veteran from Wounded Knee and Peking?"

"That honor was taken from me!" Slate exclaimed.

"An honor you can get back by putting an end to Comstock's lies!" Reece shouted back. "You are still a soldier! The fight is never over until you can't draw breath anymore! I kill you now...who will prove to the world the curse of 'tin men'? Who will stand up and fight the way only a true soldier can? Answer that one Slate."

The veteran's gaze wavered slightly at the teen's words. "Even an experienced man like me knows the odds stacked against him. What can what's left of my men and I do against that bastard's army?"

"You endure." said the traveler kneeling down next to him. "You and your men held off Comstock's army pretty well until now. But you're right, the odds are against you. That's why you should join the Vox."

Slate raised an eyebrow as he continued, "They are fighting against the Prophet's rule. And they need all the help they can get. You would be one hell of an asset to them and their campaign. And you would get back at Comstock for everything he's taken from you."

There was silence for several moments. Slate seemed to be weighing his options carefully, his strategic mind going over anything and everything about what was laid out before him. Elizabeth was looking at Reece in awe, his words had even left her inspired.

"Alright..." Slate said finally, "You've earned the honor to decide the fate of me and my soldiers. We will join the Vox." He reached into the statchel on his hip and pulled out a dark purple bottle with a lid depicting lightning bolt with a small man riding the top of it. "You've earned this as well." he said tossing it to Reece who caught it easily.

"Do this old bastard one favor, Vega." the veteran said standing up. "You come across any more of Comstock's lackies. Put them down." without another word he limped off back into the building leaving them alone.

"...That went better than I thought it would." Reece said looking at the Vigor in his hands.

"I'll say. How did you do that?" asked Elizabeth.

Her companion shrugged pulling the top off the Shock Jockey, "I questioned what was left of his honor. Proved that he still had something to fight for. If he was even half the man he was spouting off about when we were fighting through his place I knew he would take the bait and crawl back on the horse." Lifting the bottle to his lips, he drank the rest of the bottles contents which reminded him suspiciously like voltage mountain dew mixed with crushed pop rocks.

Electric bolts shot up his arms to his palms as glowing, dark-blue crystals grew out of his flesh. Energy crackled around his hands as it surged through his very being. Volts channeling between his palms as he felt the the energy reach high levels before shooting outward and charring the wall in front of him.

When his body settled down with its new power, Reece clenched his hands a few times when he still felt the charge coursing through him. "I think I might enjoy this power." he said grinning.

X

The way out had been all cleared, Slate had taken his words to heart and had informed his men that Reece and Elizabeth were no longer targets. Reece used his new found power to charge the power conduits of the building along the way opening doors as they neared the beginning. When they reached the front of the Hall of Heros they saw something they weren't expecting.

Comstock's men were dropping in from airships along the front steps of the building. But they were being cut down by Slate's forces before they could get a foothold. The two teens watched the firefight come to an end, the still standing side looked to them but didn't raise their weapons.

"You've earned our Commander's respect." said one of the men motioning his hand toward the gondola that would lead them back to the amusement park.

Nodding their thanks, the duo moved through the dead bodies of Comstock's men and on to the gondola. Reece pulled the lever and the transport began taking them back to the end of the skyway. "That could have been bad if you didn't convince Slate to keep fighting." said Elizabeth as the port came back into view.

"Yeah, I would have hated to take out both sides just for us to make our getaway." said Reece as the gondola stopped and let them off back at Soldier's Field. The opposition was low level, compared to what they went through in the Hall of Heros it wasn't anything they couldn't handle.

They followed their old path back to the gondola that would take them to the First Lady airships docking bay. Reece charged the power conduit with a strong electric bolt and the gears powered up as they waited for their ride to arrive. The dark skies slowly beginning to give away to the light of the new day.

"He will abandon you, my sweet Elizabeth." Comstock's voice suddenly rang out through the amusement park via the PA system. "Once he has what he needs, he will leave you alone. What else can you expect from a liar and killer of women?"

Reece gritted his teeth, "Comstock."

Elizabeth looked up and around for the source of the Prophet's voice as she spoke. "Father...Prophet...whomever you are. I am leaving, and there is nothing you can do to stop me!" she shouted with enough conviction that impressed her companion.

"Oh, sweet child. You are very wrong about that." replied Comstock. "The False Shepard is attempting to lead you astray from my protective embrace. And you will soon see whom he truly is."

"Why don't you go straight to hell you old fuck!" said the traveler. "Infact, I'll send you there myself. Just come out of hiding!"

His response was silence, followed by the sounds of airship engines closing in on their location as they closed in and began unloading soldiers and police officers on to the nearby docks.

Reece quickly looked around, there wasn't a lot of time and the opposition coming their way could overwhelm them quickly if they didn't work fast. His eyes followed the skyway that went through the amusement park and saw that it went up to a building ledge far out of the way of the coming firefight. "Elizabeth, take that skyway and hide up on that ledge over there." he said pointing it out.

"And leave you alone? No way, Reece. There are tears all over the place out here, I can help you!" she said back as the airships began dropping off troops into the park.

"All the more reason for you to be up there!" he exclaimed taking out his Carbine and shooting three men before they could get into cover. "You'll have a good view of the area to give me support, and you'll be protected at the same time." They ducked down as rounds from an automated turret on one of the gunships fired on them. Reece threw a Possession into the gun making it turn on the soldiers and keeping the heat off of them.

"Go Elizabeth!" he shouted standing up and emptying the rest of this rifles clip into the attacking squad as more of them began to come into the area.

Giving him one last fleeting look, Elizabeth ran toward the skyways low point. Taking out her sky-hook and preparing to jump, she paused when she noticed a tear close by. A small grin appearing on her face when she saw what was behind it.

A flock of crows launched from Reece's palm and began attacking the soldiers wildly, giving him enough time to toss another Possession into the turret of the other airship the soldiers had dropped in from before he started shooting again. The crossfire being enough to mop up the remaining armed men before they could get a decent foot hold.

Two more airships hovered over the island, three troops leaping off and using the skyway to propel them down to the ground where they opened fire on the traveler.

Another soldier at the bow of the ship stood tall, aiming a rocket launcher at the possessed turret and destroying it before jumping down with his comrades to persue their target.

Reece focused on his powers. Energy channeling up his arm as he fired a bolt of electricity that stunned two of the soldiers long enough for him to switch to his machine gun and mow them down. But in his haste, he forgot the man with the launcher who fired a rocket his way.

The blast was powerful, blowing the wooden cover the teen had been behind to splinters sending him skidding across the pier and slamming against the railing that was behind him. His shield taking most of the impact, but the splash damage shattered it completely and still managed to deal a good amount of damage that left him aching.

Groaning in pain, Reece saw his machine gun laying in a mangled heap nearby and cursed as he struggled back to his feet. The soldiers began closing in, excitement running through them at the idea of ending the 'False Shepard' once and for all.

"Honor and Valor shall reign!" they looked up only to be torn apart by a hail of bullets. The teen was shocked to see a motorized patriot stomping down the pier. Its crank powered gatling gun going full force and reducing Comstock's men to bloody chunks as it fought with him instead of against him like the last two.

"How the hell...?" he wondered. He looked up to the ledge he had sent Elizabeth and saw her waving down at him. She turned and held out her hand, opening another tear that unleashed a MG turret that quickly began firing on another squad of soldiers on the ground below.

Grinning at the girl's creativity, Reece pulled out a health vial and a Salt. Knocking both bottles back before taking out his Carbine again and channeling electricity down his left arm. "Let's finish these assholes." he said standing by his 'support' as three more airships flew in.

His rifle registered several times, but was drowned out by the chaingun fired by the automated president as it stomped its way toward the hostiles.

Four more gunman came sliding down the skyway in their direction ready to reinforce the coming squads. Reece saw this and fired a bolt directly into the rail closest to him. Electirfying the whole track and causing the men to fall six stories to their deaths as their comrades dropped in from the airships.

One of the men was another rocket trooper that wasted no time launching an RPG at the motorized president and causing serious damage to it. The traveler quickly aimed and launched a Possession into the dangerous man. A second after the vigor took effect, the rocketeer turned and fired a missile right into a cluster of soldiers and blew them apart instantly.

With the soldiers now disorganized, and taking fire from Reece, the patriot, and the MG turret from Elizabeth's hiding spot left them at a large disadvantage.

They were cut down in a matter of minutes leaving the surrounding airships floating unmanned around the park. The motorized patriot succumbed to its damaged parts and collapsed, disappearing in a flash of light back through the tear it came through as Elizabeth zipped back down the skyway and landed back on the pier.

"Everything okay?" she asked a little worried. She had seen Reece get thrown from the explosion that went off close to him and it struck fear into her heart at the thought of him being hurt.

Her companion smiled at her, "I'm fine. How about you?"

Elizabeth smiled back weakly, "I just want to get out of here...away from this city and away from _him_." said said referring to the man claiming to be her father.

Reece motioned to the gondola as it finished docking with the pier. "You're chariot awaits." he said getting a light giggle out of her as they stepped aboard. After making quickly work of the lock, the lever was pulled and the transport began making its way to the First Lady airships docking bay.

They rode in silence. Though a bit of tension could be felt in the air between them. "Reece..." He turned and looked at his charge who had her arms crossed and was biting her lip. "Before all those men came to attack us...what Comstock was saying-"

"He's full of shit." Reece said cutting her off while turning her way. "I'll be straight with you, Elizabeth. I am NOT going to abandon you. My family raised me better than that." He reached out and held her hand, squeezing it gently as he smiled. "We're going to get out of Columbia. Then we'll hit up Paris. After that we'll just roll with it, okay?"

The young woman was a little dumbstruck at his vow. "W-What about your family? Going back home to your time?"

Reece shrugged, "The twins never explained anything about how that will happen. So until then I'll focus on making sure you're protected and somewhere safe from this god forsaken place. And besides," he grinned. "My family will understand if they knew what I was doing and why."

Elizabeth burrowed into his chest and hugged him as tightly as her lithe arms could. "Thank you." she mumbled into his shirt. She hadn't even known this man for a whole day, and yet he had done everything in his power to protect her. Risking life and limb to get her from the tower she had been imprisoned in most of her life and asking for nothing in return.

 _"How can anyone be so selfless?"_ she wondered as she felt his arms close around her and embrace her back.

A feeling of warmth and safety slowly overcame the young woman. It was foreign, but at the same time Elizabeth found it comforting. Each time she breathed in she could make out the slight auroma of cologne that still lingered on his clothes and skin making her want to fall farther into the serenity her companion unknowingly provided.

Reece was going through something similar. Elizabeth's petite and curvy form felt warm against his. The smell of lilacs and roses passing by his nose reminding him of a lush garden on a warm summer day.

Anyone with eyes could see that the young woman was beautiful. Her baby-blue eyes so hypnotic and curious about the world that you couldn't help but be drawn into them. And the traveler would openly admit that he could easily fall into them and get lost.

The gondola came to a stop at the docking bay causing the two to break apart. Blood rushing to their faces realizing they had pretty much held each other the whole journey. They exited the transport and entered the station without any trouble. Though Reece remained on high alert. With all the men that were taken out back at the park there had to be people stationed there to intercept them when they tried to board the First Lady.

His instincts had been right when they entered the main building and were ambushed by a group of four soldiers wielding pistols and clubs. Reece quickly dispatched them allowing them to scavange around the room for anything useful. Coming back with a couple bottles of Salts, a health vial and ammo for his Carbine, pistol and shotgun before they made their way up the main staircase and into an elevator.

"So...they call you the False Shepard." Elizabeth stated as the lift began to climb.

Reece nodded, "And you the Lamb." he replied.

His charge cringed at the name, "Let's not call each other that." she said making him nod in agreement. "How do you figure they'd know you'd be coming?"

"We'll they supposedly have a 'Prophet' on their side. Though I'm not putting much faith in that. So it leads me to believe that something else is going on around here. How can someone have the knowledge that someone from the future comes to the past? Something isn't right about that."

The elevator stopped at the top floor and opened up to a long walkway that lead straight to the airship they'd been waiting for. Breathing a sigh of relief, the two teens moved down the walkway and stepped on to the First Lady.

Inside, the airship was very posh and inviting. Comfortable couches and walls lined with books took up most of the space making it look more like the living room of a home instead of a bridge of a zeppelin.

After giving the place a good once over, Reece checked around for anything useful while Elizabeth looked over the controls. The traveler managing to find a small stockpile of Silver Eagles in a desk drawer and a couple of Salts on a shelf.

But it was when he checked the last desk that was set up by a set of locked double doors where he found an Infusion sitting and waiting for him. "I got it!" Elizabeth called from the front. He grabbed the bottle and drank the contents, setting the empty bottle aside and joining her at the controls.

She'd just finished punching in the coordinates for Paris, France and the traveler couldn't help but chuckle at the excitement that sparked in her eyes. "You ready?" he asked grabbing the levers and pulling them into the right place.

"I want to see Paris. I want to find my real family. I want to see... _everything_!" she said holding her arms out.

The airship began leaving the docking area and follow long the path programed into the system. Through the clouds ahead of them, the sun began peeking through. Dawn was fast approaching and seemed to be lighting the way for them.

Reece leaned against the controls and closed his eyes while breathing out slowly. _"Finally...we're out of here."_ he thought as they headed to their new destination.

"Reece!" Elizabeth gasped making him snap his eyes back open. Another airship had come out of hiding and was heading their way on an intercept course. Unlike the ships used by Comstock's men, this one had red painting along the sides looking like stripes and making them really stand out against the white clouds around them.

"Who the hell are these-" Reece was cut off when something suddently impacted their airship sending both teens flying. He felt something crack hard against the back of his head and a jolt of pain lance through his skull before everything went black.

X

 _Everything was hard to focus on. The sounds around him made him feel as though he was underwater as his vision slowly swam back into focus._

 _He could make out Elizabeth trying to wake him up, tears in her eyes as she gave it everything she had as everything faded out into darkness._

 _His vision returned after what felt like minutes to see his charge heading for the open doorway. Casting a glance over her shoulder with a broken look on her face. He tried to say something, move any part of his body to let her know he was alive and not to leave._

 _But he couldn't. His body wouldn't respond as he watched her vanish through the doorway and his vision faded again._

 _When everything came back into focus for the third time, Reece's hearing began to clear a little. People had boarded the airship, mostly wounded who looked like they had been in a firefight recently. But none of them had the same colors as Comstock's army. This was another faction._

 _One of the men set a wounded soldier and saw Reece laying on the floor by the controls and came over. Kneeling by the teen's head to examine him for a few moments._

 _Without a word he raised his fist and brought it down on the traveler's face. Snapping his head to the side and knocking him out cold._

 **A/N: Just when they thought they were home-free, Columbia reminds our heroes that it won't let them go that easily. And things can only get worse unless they're ready for it.**

 **Update coming tomorrow.**


	10. The Vox Populi

**A/N: Another new chapter for the ever growing list. And with how the last one ended it couldn't have come at a better time than now.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Bioshock.**

Reece's first waking thought was of the pounding ache in his head. The second was when his eyes opened and he saw himself facing the ground as he floated over it.

"Oh shit!" he shouted as he passed over a group of people in prison outfits shoveling garbage into furnaces. When he passed over the end of the 'island' below he caught sight of a Handyman cracking his mechanical knuckles as he looked up to see the traveler overhead.

"Daisy, fresh air did the trick. This one's awake." Reece was pulled from the window he was dangling from and back into the airship. A tall, dark-skinned man held him in place with his arms behind his back as a woman slowly stood up after looking over a wounded man on the floor.

"So you're this 'False Shepard' we been hearing so much about. Reece Vega." she said with a heavy accent. Turning around the woman was revealed to be Daisy Fitzroy, Leader of the Vox Populi. "Caused a mess of trouble at the raffle." she continued stepping closer to him.

"I take it you're Daisy Fitzroy, leader of the Vox?" the teen asked struggling a little and causing the man restraining him to grip a little tighter.

"Nothing but." said Fitzroy with a slight smirk. "Me and mine owe you a big thanks for sending Slate and his remaining forces our way. Their support is greatly appreciated, and the old man's skill on the battlefield is invaluable."

Reece straightened a little, "You're welcome, now would you mind telling your friend here to let up? I don't have any issues with you or the Vox. And this airship that you were hanging me out of is mine. I kinda need it to get out of the city."

Fitzroy tilted her head, "Really? Cause it sure look like old Comstock's airship to me." she said as the man holding the teen's arms tightened a little more.

"I'm not looking for a fight Fitzroy." Reece said glaring at the thug holding him.

The leader of the Vox shook her head before motioning to all of the wounded around them, "There already a fight, Vega! Only question is, which side you on?" Fitzroy stepped a little closer, "Comstock is the god of the white man, the rich man, the pitiless. But if you believe in the common folk, then join the Vox. If you believe in the righteous folk, then join the Vox."

From everything he had seen, Reece could understand where Fitzroy and her followers were coming from. Comstock was using his influence to keep people down except for those that believed in him and his twisted bullshit about the world. The Vox were definately about a cause that he could get behind. Fighting for equality in a supremacist community and standing up for those who were unable to stand up for themselves.

However, he didn't have the time to fight in their war.

The thug shook his head, "How can we offer this white-boy a place amongst the Vox, Daisy? He don't seem like the 'Dangerous False Shepard' the Prophet's boys have been broadcasting about."

Reece snapped to the side, slamming his head into the man's chin stunning him and making him release his grip. The teen grabbed the thug's right arm and twist it behind his back. Slamming the heel of this boot into the back of his knee dropping him to the floor while taking the pistol holstered on his hip out with his free hand and pressing it to the back of the man's head.

"How bout now tough guy?" the teen said holding the thug in place and leaving him no room to escape.

Fitzroy stood motionless, but she found herself impressed on how the teen had been able to turn the tide on her subbordinate so quickly. "Impressive, Vega. You would definately be valuable to our cause."

Reece shoved the man forward, ejecting the clip from the pistol and tossing it back at him. "I have something a little more important to do right now than play soldier, Fitzroy. So just give me back my ship and I'll be on my way."

"And the Vox shall give her to you. But first, you must help the Vox." said Fitzroy reaching into her pocket and producing a business card. "Down in Finkton, there's a gunsmith who can supply weapons to our cause. Slate and his men have provided a good amount of firepower, but it's not enough to handle Comstock's forces. You get our guns from him, and you shall have your ship back."

Reece took the card and slipped it into his back pocket. It was then he realized that something, or _someone_ was missing. "Wait! There was a girl with me before you boarded, where is she?!"

Fitzroy looked to her subbordinate who still looked a little sore at being taken down a few pegs. "He must mean the one that bailed out before we docked." he replied.

"She most likely in Finkerton, we're over it right now. I'd get going if I were you." said the leader of the Vox making the teen grit his teeth in frusteration. _"Guess I don't have a choice in the matter. But I need to find Elizabeth before finding these guys their guns."_

"Guess I can't turn you down then." Reece said as Fitzroy lead him over to the door leading out of the ship. The hatch opened and wind whipped through the large room as he turned to the woman behind him. "I'll get your guns, but this ship better be gift wrapped when I get back." he said before turning back to the opening and looking over the edge.

Pulling out his sky-hook, the traveler leapt from the airship. Arm outstretched as the device hooked on to a lift hook on the side of a crane allowing him to drop down on to a wharf that the airship had been passing over.

Reece looked up as the airship continued on its path before glancing at the place he now found himself in.

The docking area was stationed around a large factory. The sign on the front of the building read _**'Fink MFG'**_ with the image of a man with a mustash and top hat that looked very familar.

"That's the asshole from the raffle." the teen muttered to himself as he began checking over his supplies and weapons. Thankful that the Vox hadn't taken anything from him while he had been unconcious.

He still had his Carbine, shotgun and pistol with enough ammo for each to keep fighting for a little while longer. His pack held two health vials, four bottles of Salts, his hoodie, a medical pack with most of its contents and his leather bag filled with Silver Eagles that thankfully wasn't pilfered. Once he was sure everything was in order he strapped the backpack on and began making his way toward the factory.

 _"I'll worry about finding the gunsmith later. I gotta find Elizabeth before one of Comstock's goons does."_ he thought making his way down the wharf and along the side of the factory. Keeping his eyes peeled for any sight of the young woman.

Passing by a group of men scrubbing the wooden deck of the walkway or the cargo freights while they were docked. A couple of cops patrolled the area making Reece tense up and prepare for a possible fight. But the officers just passed by him, not even taking a second look as they continued their rounds.

It through him for a moment, then he realized that what he had looked like must not have reached this far yet, meaning he could slip past the patrols for the time being without running into trouble.

When no one was looking, the traveler managed to go through a couple of nearby crates and made away with two more bottles of Salts before anyone took notice. Continuing on his trek, Reece saw the path blocked by a freight that had crashed. Bottles of Shock Jockey were broken and scattered along the ground with electrified crystals growing from the puddles.

A lone man stood with a clip board surveying the damage as the teen approached. "Excuse me?" he asked.

"Move along, nothing to see here." the man said not even looking up from what he was doing.

Reece took a deep breath to calm himself, "I'm just trying to find someone, they may have passed through here recently. Young woman, brunette around nineteen with a long blue skirt. Sound familiar?"

The man hummed and nodded, "I remember seeing someone like that pass through about ten minutes ago. She seemed upset, looked like she was crying." he said writing something down on the clipboard. "Now if you don't mind I have work to do. Sorry, the path ahead is closed until this is all cleaned up."

 _"I don't have time for this."_ Reece said creeping up behind the man, wrapping his arm around his throat and trapping him in a sleeper hold with a hand over his mouth. The dock worker struggled wildly, but could not call for help with the strong arm tightening around his windpipe. "Easy. Easy now." the teen said lowly as the man's struggles lessened until he slumped in his arms. The lack of oxygen knocking him out completely.

With the man now out like a light, Reece dragged him across the path and dropped him into one of the crashed freight compartments. Sealing the door behind him as he went through another compartment that lead back to the path and to a set of doors leading inside.

"Get out of here, snipe." a man's voice growled from inside as Reece began to pull the doors open. "You wanna know what we do to pretty stowaways? Or maybe you don't."

When the doors were open wide enough he saw Elizabeth tossed on to the walkway. She got to her feet quickly and took off running as the airship she attempted to board left. "Elizabeth!" the traveler shouted, but she didn't seem to hear him over the airship taking off as she disappeared out of sight.

Shoving the doors open wide enough for him to get through and go off after her, Reece began running with everything he had. "Elizabeth wait!" he called out again as she vanished back into the building ahead.

He kept moving, steel toed boots hitting the hardwood planks under him as he pushed harder to catch up to her. Sliding across the ground like a baseball player under a cluster of freight cars that was passing through.

Exiting the docking storage area, Reece found himself in a large office. Elizabeth was at the far end opening a tear and going through it where two men grabbed her arms. "NO!" the traveler roared pushing himself harder just as the tear closed forcing him to skid to a stop before he slammed into the wall. "Dammit!" he shouted slamming his fist against the wall.

"The Lamb, it's her! Call it in! Call it in!" shouted one of the soldiers on the other side of the wall excitedly.

"No! Let me go!" Elizabeth screamed as the sound of struggling could be heard.

"We got her!" said the other soldier.

Spinning around, Reece looked around for another way to get to where they were. Finding a door leading out of the office, he pulled out his shotgun and ran through it and along the path revealed. "Requested troops are on their way." said someone over the PA system.

 _"You fuckers aren't taking her!"_ Reece raged in his thoughts as he flew up a flight of stairs two at a time.

"That's enough out of you!" he heard one of the soldiers yell.

"Let go of me! Get your hands off of me! Let me go!" Elizabeth screamed back.

"Comstock wants you, and we mean to give you to him!" said the other soldier as Reece reached the top of the steps and ran down the hallway. He entered a small station that gave access to a skyway. But the teens sights were locked on the windowed room where the two men were trying to restrain his friend.

"WON'T YOU BE QUIET!" one of the soldier's roared before backhanding Elizabeth hard enough to knock her to the floor. "My patience is done run out!" he said standing over her fallen form.

Reece saw red. Pulling out his Carbine and looking down the sights, targeting the head of the man that struck Elizabeth and pulling the trigger.

The bullet shot through the air, piercing through the window and punching through the soldier's skull spraying blood and grey matter against the wall behind him. The second soldier was dumbstruck and terrified at what happened to his partner. Long enough for a second round to go through the window, through the side of his head and out the other side.

Elizabeth looked up shocked seeing the two men that had been trying to take her fall over dead. But she didn't think about it long as she got up and ran again. Jumping onto a skyway and using her sky-hook to zip away from where they were attempting to hold her captive.

Lowering his rifle, Reece watched Elizabeth escape just as his shield flared to life as a volley of rounds bounced off of it. A squad of soldiers had hunkered down around the various crates on the ground level. Most likely assembled when the call had been made across the PA.

"I don't have time for you fuckers!" the teen roared firing multiple fireblasts at the soldiers. A couple scrambled to get out of the way, others were caught in the blasts and had been sent flying or lit on fire in the process.

A flock of crows followed and they began assaulting the still standing gunmen allowing Reece to take out his sky-hook and latch on to the rails infront of him. Pressing the trigger down hard and zooming off down the skyway after Elizabeth.

 _"She can't have gone far. Better hurry before more of these guys show up."_ he jumped off when the rails came to an end at another docking station. Looking up he sighed in relief seeing Elizabeth standing by the departing entrance waiting for transport. "Elizabeth!" he called out making her spin around.

Her face was one utter shock seeing him there as he ran toward her.

The traveler was about halfway to the young woman when something large lashed out and struck him in the chest, sending the teen crashing into a crate that was behind him. Hanging from the support beam of the sign above, a Handyman glared down as Reece staggered to his feet. **"False Shepard!"** it bellowed before dropping down to the ground. Shaking the planks under them from the weight of the mechanical suit he wore.

Reece shook off the pain from the powerful backhand, pulling out his pistol and shooting at the Handyman in an attempt to do some damage. The rounds clipped off of the dense metal as the half-man half-machine grabbed the teen's body in one of its massive hands, lifting him into the air as though he weighed nothing before hurling him off the pier. His body landing on top of a crate that was being lifted up by a crane.

Having only seconds to register what was happening, Reece scrambled as he tried to find something to grab on to as he began slidding across the surface. Nothing being below him other than the open sky and the ground thousands of feet below.

Thankfully he managed to find purchase in one of the small gaps in the crate, his feet dangling above open air as his pistol fell down through the clouds. Being careful of the crates swinging movements, he began putting one hand in front of the other, managing to get back on to the surface completely.

Luck, however, wasn't on his side.

His green eyes caught sight of the Handyman that had thrown him rip up a chunk of metal from the docks and throw it like a disc. Slicing the ropes holding the crate up on the left side and making it drop down.

Reece lost his grip and began rolling off of the crate. His left hand grabbing the edge of the large box's opening as the doors sprung open and spilling its contents. "Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! SHIT!" he kept saying looking down at nothing but clouds and air below him. His grip began to weaken. unable to hold up his body's weight coupled with his supplies on his back.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as his fingers slowly gave way, causing him to release his hold on the crate. His mind frozen in terror as he began to plummet to his immediate death.

A bright flash filled his vision as a small blimp suddently appeared in the air below him. His body hitting the soft, rubbery surface and bouncing slightly. It didn't hurt at all, but it was just enough to jar him from his frozen state and grab on to the netting that covered the crafts surface. "Where the hell did this thing-"

"REECE!" Looking up, Reece saw Elizabeth leaning against the railing in front of her. Tears in her eyes and a wide smile on her face.

That's when it clicked. She opened a tear bringing the blimp into this reality just in time to save his life. Relief filled him as the blimp rose up to the piers level. He jumped off on to solid ground just in time for the hysterical girl to slam into his front and squeeze him with strength he didn't know she had.

"I...Th-Thought you were dead!" she managed inbetween sobs.

Reece held her, chin resting on top of her head as her tears soaked into his shirt. "Just a few bumps and bruises. Thanks for the save back there, thought I was a goner."

Elizabeth looked up at him and gave a watery smile. She looked a little roughed up from her ordeal. Her cheek was red from where the soldier had struck her, her blouse had been torn in several places revealing the pale skin of her right shoulder and a little bit of her cleavage. Yet despite her appearance, she just looked happy to see him.

"I thought I would return the favor. I'm just glad that you're okay." she said stepping back a little and looking solumn. "I'm sorry I just left you there. You weren't waking up, and I thought the worst, and-" she stopped when he put a finger to her lips.

"I'm fine Elizabeth, and I'm glad you tried to get yourself somewhere safe even though I wasn't with you." he said smiling. "I've got good news, too. The Vox is willing to give us back our ship. All we have to do is supply weapons to their whole uprising."

Elizabeth's eyebrows rose, "And where exactly are we suppose to get these weapons? From our many friends and allies?" she asked, finding the situation harder than Reece was making it out to be..

The traveler pulled out the business card Fitzroy had given him and handed it to her. "The Vox's leader gave me this. It's the location of a gunsmith here in Finkton. We get them the guns, we get our airship back. Simple."

The young woman looked the card over and shook her head. "Can we trust them? After everything that's happened so far..." she let the statement hang in the air.

Reece shrugged, "Can't say for sure, but we don't have a whole lot of options to get out of here and too many people out to get us. And besides the old saying goes, 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend'. Let's hope Fitzroy follows the same statement."

"I really hope Paris is worth all of this." Elizabeth said rubbing her arms.

"At least no one will be out to kill us in Paris." Reece said holding his hand out to her. "Wanna get going again, partner?"

His charge smiled again and took the offered hand, "Alright then. Let's go."

X

The name of the gunsmith Fitzroy had sent them to find was Chen-Lin. And if he was working for the Vox covertly to help supply them with firearms it would be a huge problem for them all if Comstock's forces got to him before they did.

With this in mind, the two teens made their way through the slightly crowded station intending on keeping a low profile. Slipping past civilians and patrolling officers as they went down a flight a steps leading farther into the building.

"I've heard about Daisy Fitzroy." Elizabeth said working on the lock on the door at the base of the stairs. "She's either a great hero, or the worst of scoundrels."

"She can be the Queen of England for all I care. As long as we get our ship back it doesn't really matter." said Reece as the lock fell away allowing them passage on to a balcony floor that overlooked a large open room below where multiple cops and a motorized patriot were standing guard.

Elizabeth pointed at the far end, "Over there...a service elevator. Should take us down to Finkton." she said as they crouched down behind the railing.

Reece peered over the top and looked at their opposition again while trying to formulate a plan. "We'll get killed in the crossfire if we even try to make a run for it. And there are too many to take on in such an open area with only so much ammo on us." He focused on the patriot and it came to him. "I got it."

Taking out his shotgun, he channeled a Possession to his hand as he slowly stood up. "Get ready to run for the elevator. Stay close to me and don't stop no matter what." he said seriously getting a nod in response.

The ethreal power flew from his hand and into the mechanical president. The machine stuttered before turning to the nearest officer and open fire. The whole room erupted into chaos as people working in at the nearby desks ran for cover and police began converging on the room to handle the malfunctioning automation.

"Move!" Reece shouted as they ran for the stairs. A cop at the bottom saw them coming and went to intercept them only for the teen's shotgun to blow his chest wide open. The duo reached the ground floor and made a b-line for the service elevator while the motorized patriot continued to lay waste to any and all hostiles in the room.

With most of the police force distracted, the teens reached their destination and hit the switch on the wall. Reece's shield flared when bullets peppered along his back when the cops noticed what was going on.

Raising his shotgun, the traveler blasted the closest officer away while keeping himself in front of Elizabeth. A bolt of electricity shot from his hand, frying another cop and giving him a moment to shoot him as the lift chimmed behind them. "Reece the doors are open!" Elizabeth called out over the gunfire and slipping inside.

Emptying his weapon, Reece sent out a flock of crows to keep the remaining gunmen busy while got on to the lift and sealed the doors. "That was cutting it a bit close." he muttered, reloading his shotgun while his field recharged.

The elevator began to decend slowly, bringing the two closer to their objective that would hopefully lead them out of this never ending cycle of fighting and death.

Riding in silence, Reece looked over at his charge who was leaning against the wall. Her hands rubbing up and down her arms in an attempt to fight off the slight chill in the air he hadn't felt before because of his jacket. "Cold?" he asked breaking the silence.

"A bit. But it's nothing to worry about." she replied, looking up to see her companion reaching into his pack and pulling out an article of clothing she'd never seen before.

"Here, you can wear this." he said holding it out for her.

Curious, she took the hoodie from him and looked it over. Slipping it on and zipping up the front, she found that It was a little different than the sweaters she'd worn in the past. The pockets in the front of her stomach were a little odd, and the covering for her head attached to the back of the shoulders made it feel like a new kind of cloak instead of winter wear.

But it felt comfortable and warm, if a little big on her.

"Thank you." she said rolling up the sleeves so that they weren't covering her hands. "It's really comfortable."

Before Reece could comment, the speakers in the elevator suddently came to life. "Greetings!" said a man's voice. "My name is Jeremiah Fink, and I want to share with you my personal creed."

The two teens looked out the window on the wall across from the lift's door and saw signs with Fink's face plastered all over them while the automated greeting kept playing. "What is the most admirable creature on God's green earth? Why it's the bee! Have you ever seen a bee on vacation? Have you seen a bee take a sick day? Well my friends, the answer is no! So I say, be...the bee! Be the bee!"

 _"Christ...this jackass really likes the sound of his own voice."_ Reece thought. Elizabeth looking as though she were thinking along the same lines.

The elevator came to an abrupt stop jarring the teens slightly. A second later a communication device in the corner of the small room began ringing.

Sharing a glance with the young woman with him, Reece approached the box and pressed the button on the front. "Uh...hello?" he asked a little hesitantly.

"Mr. Vega?" asked a woman's voice on the other end.

"Yes?" the traveler replied looking at Elizabeth confused.

"Hold for Mr. Fink, please." said the woman before the device went silent.

"What's going on?" asked Elizabeth feeling uneasy about the situation they were in while she looked out the window in front of her.

"Vega?" came the familiar voice of Jeremiah Fink. "Fink here. Listen, my boy...we've had our eye on you, and I can tell you right now, you are our top candidate! Top! Now, my associate, Mr. Flambeau, will help you with anything you need, ha ha." with that the line ended and the elevator began moving again.

"What the hell was that?" asked Elizabeth. "He seems oddly pleased to make your acquaintance."

"No idea. The bastard sent an angry mob after me not long after I arrived in Columbia." Reece said remembering the fiasco that happened at the raffle. "But when we do run into him, I'll be sure to ask him." the shotgun in his hands was racked for emphasis.

The elevator continued to decend, the building's interior passing by and revealng a wide open space outside. A clocktower dominating the center of the expanse, and in front of the tower was a golden statue of Fink displayed for all to see.

"Well, the man's got an ego." Elizabeth commented as they drew closer to the ground.

"You think he's over-compensating for something?" Reece asked with a chuckle. But the inside joke went over the girl's head reminding him that he was in a place long before such phrases were invented.

After a few minutes of listening more to Fink's business propaganda, the doors to the elevator finally opened on the ground floor of the building. The two teens stepped into a waiting room where a table had been set up at the far end. A large bottle of Salts, a medical bag, lock picking kit, and a stash of Silver Eagles were waiting.

A well dressed man stood behind the table and welcomed them. "Mr. Vega, welcome to Finkton." he said with a small bow. "You'll find a variety of supplies here that should see you through your visit."

"Who are you, and what does Fink want with us?" Elizabeth asked eyeing the supplies and looking back at their greeter.

"I am Mr. Flambeau." said the man." And I'm sorry Miss, but Mr. Fink's interest is strictly with the gentleman."

Reece rolled his eyes as he began gathering up the items before them. Among them was a large handgun that resembled a revolver and weighed a little heavier than his pistol had. "I don't understand." said Elizabeth a little put off by the man's answer.

"I'm sorry, but any questions regarding the gentleman's application should be taken up with Mr. Fink directly." replied Flambeau stepping aside allowing the doors before them to slid up and open up to the courtyard beyond before disappearing through a side door.

Slipping his new firearm into his jacket and the ammo into his pack. Reece walked up next to his charge and looked to where their greeter had left. "He seemed _helpful_." he said with his words dripping with sarcasm.

"Does this strike you as good news? It doesn't strike me as good news." Elizabeth said as they exited the room and approached a small flight of stairs leading to to the ground level of the courtyard. Her companion didn't reply, his gaze sweeping over the gathered people while an auctioneer spoke to them.

Slipping around the crowd and staying as far out of sight as possible, the duo hit up a vending machine and stocked up on a few health vials, food and ammo for Reece's weapons before making their way to the clock tower where Fitzroy's card said the gunsmith was living.

With the auction still going on, none of the workers or patrolling police officers noticed the teens enter the shop run by Chen-Lin. Closing the door behind them as they observed their surroundings. "He's not here." said Elizabeth as they looked at the various tools and other supplies.

"Must be farther in." Reece said heading to the double doors in the back. Taking out his new side arm and clicking the hammer back as he pushed them open slowly with his shoulder. We wasn't taking any chances in the off chance this was a double cross.

The room beyond was glowing from the open furnace in the basement level, illuminating the stacks of crates and barrels around the whole floor filled with supplies that no doubt went toward Lin's profession.

The temperature a bit warmer from the flames, was the first thing Reece noticed. The second was that there was no one else there. Looking up, he saw stairs leading several flights upward to the top of the clock tower, meaning the one they were looking for must have been higher up.

"It's clear." he said stepping inside and holding the door so Elizabeth could slip through. The crackling fire from the furnace and the sounds of machinery above filled the tower as they headed for the stairs and began to make their way up.

Reece leading with his hand cannon raised in case something came out at them, they reached a landing where a shrine had been set up. Lanterns hung from the ceiling and casting a glow over two tables set up with various dishes and cups. Purple colored orchids lined the tables and a stone dragon sat off to the right with a statue of Buddha at the front.

"I've read about this." Elizabeth said approaching the shrine and looking things over with a careful eye. "That's the Gautama Buddha. The founder of Buddhism. He spent 49 days under a Bodhi tree until he achieved enlightenment."

"I have a feeling Comstock won't be so noble if he found someone worshiping an idol that isn't him." said Reece as they moved past the shrine and into the top level of the tower. Several machines were set up around the room that were designed to make firearms and ammuntion. Crates that were meant to house the products from the machines sat in the corners empty and the machines themselves were cold and looked to haven't been in use for a little while.

"Hello? Hello! are you here?" the traveler called out and only got silence in return.

"Something doesn't feel right. What do you think happened here?" asked Elizabeth looking for anything that could give them a clue.

Reece checked out the crates and saw something out of place. The lids on each wooden box had been pried open with a crowbar recently. And on the floor among pieces of wood and metal shavings were boot prints and scuff marks. "Someone got here before us. There are signs of a struggle, and it looks like this place was cleaned out. Cops must have figured out Lin was helping the Vox and ransaked his shop."

Both teens froze when they heard footsteps on the wooden stairs below them. Reece put a finger to his lips telling Elizabeth to stay quiet as he treaded slowly back toward the stairs, hand cannon at the ready as they made their way back down where they came.

Rounding the corner on the lower landing, the traveler lowered his weapon when he saw an asian woman standing at the alter they had passed a moment ago. A single candle lit on the table as she stood with her arms held together before her in prayer.

"Ma'am?" Reece asked approaching slowly with Elizabeth on his heels. "Excuse me, we're sorry to bother you. But we're looking for Mr. Lin." The woman acted like she hadn't heard him and continued praying. "Ma'am?" he asked again reaching out to her.

"Mr. Lin not here. He...gone." she said with her voice shaking. Eyes bloodshot from tears that had been shed.

"Gone?" asked Elizabeth approaching the woman and touching her arm as she struggled to keep her composure.

"They take. Flying Squad. I pray Gautama Buddha. Pray give husband back. Give back to May Lin." whimpered before sobbing into her hands as Elizabeth tried to comfort her in anyway she could.

"Where did they take him?" asked Reece, his heart going out to the grieving wife after seeing her husband taken from her. A sliver of anger going up his back seeing more of the Prophet's cruelty toward those who didn't worship him like the false god that he was.

"Club." said May after a few moments. "Everyone take to Good Time Club." she began to shutter again as more tears came to her eyes. "Why not Vox Populi help Chen Lin? Why not Daisy Fitzroy help Chen Lin?"

"We'll get him back." said Elizabeth as the woman turned back to the shrine. "We'll find your husband and bring him back. Right Reece?" she looked at him and he nodded back. They didn't get a response as Ms. Lin went back to praying, so they opted to leave her be and make their way back down to the ground floor.

"This is horrible...How can anyone be so cruel to those who don't share the same faith." said the young woman shaking her head.

Sighing, Reece ran a hand through his hair before turning to his charge. "Where I'm from, it's still a pretty common thing. Despite being a century from the here and now, people still have averice against those of different faith, race, culture, sexual orientation and even intelligence. It's stupid and narrow minded. Hate breeds more hate and the cycle never seems to end."

Elizabeth looked at her companion a little stunned, "I guess people never truly learn." she said with a deep sigh. "What about you?"

The traveler shrugged, "My parents raised me to keep an open mind about the world. It's not _what_ you are in terms of lifestyle or upbringing. But more or less _who_ you are that should define how others persieve you." He looked to the door with his expression turning serious. "With Lin captured we can't do anything for the Vox. We'll have to bust him out if we want out of here."

His charge agreed as they went through the doors they came through before and back into the shops front room. Weapons and Vigors ready as they left the shop and back out into the courtyard.

Completely unaware that their task was about to get a lot more complicated.

 **A/N: Reece and Elizabeth are reunited, but with this new mission from the Vox could prove to be one hell of a challenge. And it's only just beginning.**

 **New chapter, same time same place guys.**


	11. Hard Knocks

**A/N: With things starting to heat up in the story, it's time for yet another update!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Bioshock.**

It was quiet...too quiet. The whole square which had been filled with people from the various jobs they were doing and the open auction that had been going on was completely empty leaving the two teens feeling uneasy as they stepped out of Chen-Lin's shop.

"Where is everybody? We were only in there for a few minutes." said Elizabeth searching around for anyone.

Reece gripped his hand cannon a little tighter, his senses on high alert as they stepped farther out into the open. _"How the hell could they have cleared out so quickly? We didn't even hear anything happening out here from inside the clock tower."_ he thought with his eyes scanning every shop, rooftop and doorway around them. "Come on, we need to find the Club Ms. Lin was talking about and find her husband."

Getting a nod from his charge, they set off toward the back of the square when they noticed the signs pointing toward the Good Time Club where the gunsmith was being held.

Knowing that they were heading in the right direction from the various signs around them, they began making their way to the large building at the back of the square when Elizabeth stopped in

mid-step. "Do hear that?" she asked.

Reece looked at her oddly before straining his hearing. Then he heard it. Loud thudding footsteps on wood and concrete from somewhere close by. "Where is that coming from?" he asked when his charge looked up and gasped.

"Lookout! Handyman!" Elizabeth screamed as the half man half machine landed on the ground before them. The ground shuddering from the impact as the new threat stood at his full height, towering over the teens and making them back pedal a few feet.

The Handyman looked at the two before him. His massive hands opening and closing with loud clicks from the machinery that operated his body. The heart contained within the glass sphere in his chest beating at a steady rhythm for all to see.

Reece took notice of the dings in the machine hybrid's armor and realized that it was the same Handyman that had tried to throw him to his death not too long ago. Pushing Elizabeth behind him as he aimed his hand cannon at the large man. "Back off tiny, we got no problems with you." he said keeping his guard up.

Tilting his head to the side, the Handyman cracked its mechanical knuckles before raising them in the air. **"For Prophet!"** he roared bringing the fists down. The teens dove out of the way from the shockwave sent out from the strike.

The hand cannon in Reece's hand registered loudly, the round punching a good-sized dent in the Handyman's side before he cocked the hammer back and fired again.

Feeling the rounds hitting his body, the Handyman turned and began charging toward the teen like an enraged gorilla. "Elizabeth run!" he shouted, jumping out of the way of the large fist aimed for his head. Firing another round into the mechanical man's midsection.

Another punched was aimed down to the ground that the traveler had to roll through the Handyman's legs to avoid. Firing three more shots into his back when he got back to his feet causing the weapon to run empty.

Reece popped the chamber open, sending spent bullet casings flying everywhere and went to reload. But the one moment was enough for his large opponent to spin around and backhand him, sending the traveler hurling through the air and crashing through an empty cart. His shield shattering on impact, already weakened from the backhand, and leaving him vulnerable.

But the Handyman wasn't interested in him. He turned toward Elizabeth who backed away slowly having seen what happened to Reece. **"Lamb. Return Lamb to Prophet."** he said stomping his way toward the young woman.

"Stay away!" she screamed, opening a tear and conjuring a brick wall between them. The Handyman paused a moment before bringing its massive fists down and shattering the barrier easily as he continued after his target.

Elizabeth's back hit the wall, her eyes closing as the half man-half machine reached out to grab her.

A shotgun registered loudly, the Handyman roared as the buck shot peppered his back. "Hay asshole!" The large man turned slowly and saw Reece standing a few feet away. Blood dripping down his chin from his mouth with his shotgun clutched in one hand as he conjured a fire-grenade to the other. "Pick on someone your own gas mileage!"

The Handyman roared, leaping into the air with both arms raised high. Reece had all of four seconds to get a safe distance away as the mechanical man slammed into the ground and sent out a shockwave that sent several tool benches and carts shattering against the walls and buildings around them.

Now clear, the teen hurled his fire-grenade into the large man before firing round after round until the shotgun ran empty. Switching to his Carbine instead of wasting time reloading and emptying the whole clip as the Handyman stood back upright.

Channeling the Shock Jockey Vigor through his body, Reece fired a powerful bolt into the Handyman causing him to seize long enough for him to reload his weapons. "REECE LOOK OUT!" He looked over his shoulder in time to duck under a club aimed for the back of his head by a cop that managed to flank him.

Snapping his arm back, he slammed the butt of his rifle hard into the officer's face. Breaking his nose and knocking him to the ground while two more cops came out of the same building the first came from. Pistols in hand as they opened fire on the traveler.

Rifle in hand, Reece shot both men quickly and dodged another swipe from the man whose nose he had shattered. A second swing followed and was caught in the teen's grasp, Carbine dropped to the ground as he delivered a right cross that sent the man staggering. Following up with a round house kick that snapped his head to the side before he hit the ground again unmoving.

Either dead or unconscious he didn't know which as he turned back to the larger threat.

During the small firefight, the Handyman had shook off the effect of the electric bolt and was now towering over him. Right fist raised high before coming down hard. Reece leapt and rolled out of the way as the large appendage hit the ground. Crushing his dropped rifle flat before its owner turned to go after his target.

The traveler sent out a flock of crows from his hand, the Handyman began swatting at the air to keep the birds at bay allowing the teen to pull out his shotgun again and quickly drink a Salt to replenish his powers. Now fully charged, he fired a shockwave curtiousy of his Bronco ability causing the large man to stumble back a step.

 _"I'm not getting anywhere!"_ Reece thought while gritting his teeth. _"Can't take this guy conventionally. I'll have to get creative."_ His eyes locked with the still beating heart in the Handyman's chest. _"That's a weakness if I ever saw one."_

Bringing another fire-grenade to his hand, the teen launched it directly into the mechanical man's chest. The explosion going off right over where the vital organ was being housed. The reinforced glass cracked a little around the edges while the Handyman attempted to cover it with one of his hands.

Shaking off the damage, the large man charged Reece fully intent on crushing him to death. What he didn't expect was the traveler to sprinting directly at him as well. Dropping to the ground mid-run, sliding through the mechanical legs of the Handyman firing two blasts from his shotgun into his chest before coming out the other side.

The glass around the heart splintered more from the surprise attack. But the Handyman ignored it and spun around, grabbing the teen by the leg before he had a chance to get up and tossed him across the square. His body going through the wooden railing surrounding the clock tower and slamming against the wall .

Reece groaned, pain shooting down his back after making contact with the tower. Through the haze in his vision, he saw his shotgun laying not too far away and reached for it; only to be grabbed by his right arm and pulled up to eye level with the Handyman.

The bald, scarred face regarded him with little interest. Yet anger and purpose burned within the previously emotionless eyes as they leered into Reece's defiant green ones. **"Time to Die."** he growled out.

"I don't think so!" The teen shouted using the Handyman's grip to bring himself up high enough to deliver a hard kick to the side of his head. The steel toed boot snapping the mechanical man's head to the side long enough for Reece to fire an electric bolt into the man's face.

But the Handyman was faster. Recovering from the sneak attack quickly and raising Reece up higher making his bolt miss its target and throwing him hard across the square. Sending him crashing through the set of large wooden doors leading into a nearby warehouse.

His body landed with a sickening crack and rolled across the ground before coming to rest against a stack of crates. Darkness started to creep around the edges of his vision as it became harder to stay conscious while his right arm went completely numb after being pulled from the socket on impact.

 _"... this isn't good."_ he thought while struggling to get back to his feet with what little strength he had left.

X

The Handyman looked at the hole in the large doors where he had thrown the 'False Shepard'. Large feet clunking loudly as he stomped toward his target, preparing to put him down once and for all in the name of Father Comstock.

A bright flash in the corner of his eye made the mechanical man turn in time for a hail of bullets to pelt his body. Forcing him to raise one of his massive hands to shield his head. "In the name of freedom!" called out the voice of a motorized patriot as it continued to fire upon the Handyman with its chaingun.

Bellowing in rage, the Handyman charged after the new threat. Not seeing the form of a young woman slip inside the warehouse Reece had disappeared into.

Elizabeth closed the damaged door behind her, blue eyes searching the warehouse's interior frantically for her companion. A gasp leaving her lips when she found him attempt to stand up with only the use of one of his arms. "Reece!" she said running over and kneeling by him.

He looked bad. Right arm hanging limply from his side clearly from dislocation. Blood dripping from the side of his head, nose and mouth as he managed to get himself into a sitting position against a crate.

"Damn...that thing hits hard." the traveler groaned before spitting out a glob of blood on to the floor next to him.

"We need to get out of here. You're too injured to keep fighting." his charge said looking over his form. Her fingers poking gently around his shoulder where the socket was unaligned.

Reece shook his head, "He'll keep coming after us. If we don't take him out he'll take us out. I've already found his weakness, just need to-URGH!" he grunted when Elizabeth found where his arm was separated and squeezed a little.

The young woman hummed to herself before helping Reece out of his denim jacket and getting the backpack off. "I think I can fix this. We need to get your arm back in place in order for you to heal properly." she said rolling up the sleeve of his t-shirt exposing his toned bicep.

Her eyes caught sight of a black mark coming down his arm from under his shirt contrasting with his skin and felt her curiosity peek. But the sound of gunfire and metal clanging snapped her out of it as she wrapped her hands around her companions arm and the top of his shoulder. "It's...It's going to hurt." she warned with a tint of worry in her voice.

Reece winced and breathed out slowly, "Just do what you can, I trust you Elizabeth." he said smiling at her despite the pain.

Nodding, the young woman pressed down on his shoulder, turning the limp arm slightly in different directions until she got the joint and socket lined up properly. Giving one last look at the man before her, she took a deep breath before jamming the limb forward with all her strength making a loud pop.

The traveler clenched his teeth hard to avoid crying out. Tears coming to his eyes as pain shot through his whole arm when it was re-connected. "Ssssssssssonofabitch!" he hissed, flexing his hand as the feeling seeped slowly back into it.

Elizabeth dug through their backpack and pulled out a health vial. Giving it to Reece when they heard a loud crash outside. "We have to hurry." she said as her companion downed all of the vials contents. His pain fading and strength returning as the doors to the warehouse slammed open.

The Handyman stood at the threshold, the mechanical president Elizabeth had brought into the world via a tear was in two halves in either of his hands shooting sparks as it went offline. **"False Shepard!"** he roared throwing the chunks of salvage at the teens.

Reece grabbed Elizabeth and dove out of the way as the parts of the patriot shattered the crate that was behind them. Rolling to his feet, he fired a bolt from his palm and causing the mechanical man to seize up long enough to toss a salvo of fireblasts that burned his body.

Elizabeth looked on helpless. There weren't any tears in the warehouse to provide support, and her friend hadn't recovered enough to fight at his best.

Looking back at the crate that had been shattered from the automation she brought forth. She caught sight of a weapon stock sticking out of the pile of wood. Pulling the odd looking gun out she looked over at Reece who was still managing to dodge the Handyman's attacks.

"Reece catch!" looking up, the traveler caught the weapon tossed to him. The shape reminding him of a grenade launcher from his time as he hefted it in his hands. Its bulky and slightly heavy frame feeling a little odd at first as he aimed at the Handyman as he began closing in on him.

Squeezing the trigger, an explosive round launched from the barrel and detonated against the large man's chest sending him back a step. Readjusting to the recoil, he fired again and again, each explosive round striking the Handyman's center of mass no matter how hard he tried to defend himself.

The mechanical suit burning and large dents forming along the surface from each hit while the suit began failing from all the damage.

One last round was fired and struck the casing surrounding the mechanical mans heart causing it to shatter completely. Seeing his opportunity, the traveler tossed the spent weapon aside and ran at the Handyman, firing a shockwave that made his target rock back on his large heels.

He followed up with a focused fire-grenade sending the mechanical man crashing on to his back. Jumping on to the damaged suit, Reece channeled electricity up his arm and fired a bolt straight into the exposed heart in the Handyman's chest. Pouring every last ounce of power he could into the attack as the mechanical body started convulsing wildly from the discharge.

When his Vigor finally ran out, the large man laid dead on the floor. Smoke and sparks coming out of his body, the heart no longer beating and a little charred from the Shock Jockey fired into it.

"Bout time that thing dropped." Reece said leaning against a nearby work bench as his adrenaline started to wear down along with his strength. "Christ, how the hell do you make something like that?" he wondered wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"I think it's best we don't know." said Elizabeth approaching him with a another health vial in one hand and a bottle of Salt in the other. "How's your arm?" she asked handing him the bottles.

Her companion drank both items, wiping the blood from his face while rolling his shoulder working out what little kinks the first health vial didn't manage to heal. "No complaints yet. I gotta admit, you'd make one hell of a doctor." he said making her blush from the compliment.

With both bottles empty and his strength and Vigor abilities back at full. Reece reached for his jacket allowing Elizabeth to see the mark under his sleeve again. "What is that?" she asked pointing at his arm.

Looking down, the traveler saw what she was pointing at and smiled. "A tattoo." he said setting his jacket back down and pulling his shirt off.

Elizabeth's face went bright red seeing her friend's exposed upper half. Her blue eyes unconsciously scanning over the muscles that were well defined from his time training in MMA as he turned his back to her.

Stretched across his upper back and shoulders was a pair of black angelic wings. The tips of the end feathers going around both his biceps on either side giving the illusion they were wrapped around him. In the center space between the wings was a kanji the young woman recognized.

"I know what this means." Elizabeth said getting over her embarrassment and running her fingers across the wings and then the symbol. "It's Japanese, it means-"

"Bravery." Reece said finishing her sentence. "Me and a few friends went out one night and decided to celebrate getting through our first year of college by getting tattoos. The kanji was my first. The wings and the one on my hand came after."

Running her fingers along the black markings again, Elizabeth couldn't help but ask. "How are they done? It's a work of art, but it's bonded with your skin."

"The artists that do them use a special machine that injects the ink under the layers of skin. They dip the needle into the ink and they literally draw the design into you." her companion explained.

Elizabeth cringed, hand coming away from the skin and the black markings. "Doesn't it hurt?" Reece shrugged while putting his shirt and jacket back on,

"A little at first, but soon you get used to it and after a while it's done before you know it."

"And you do this...for fun?" his charge asked raising an eyebrow and crossing her arms.

The traveler chuckled as he slung on the backpack next. Ignoring the slight twinge when he moved his shoulder too quickly. "For some, yes. Others do it as a form of expression. And in some cases a memorial to someone they lost or someone they love. Though you have to choose wisely, because it's permanent." he explained.

"What do yours mean?" asked Elizabeth.

Reece looked down at his hand where his cross tattoo was still covered by Elizabeth's now blood stained ascot. "My beliefs. I have no faith in structured religion like most, but I do believe in God and in a life after death. But I also believe that humans were granted freewill to enjoy the lives we were given to their fullest."

Shaking his head after being lost in his thoughts a moment, Reece turned to the destroyed doorway not seeing the stunned look on his charge's face. "We should get going. We have a gunsmith to liberate." he said heading back outside.

X

After getting their second wind, the teens spent a few minutes gathering dropped weapons and ammo before returning to the back of the square and up the steps toward the entrance of the Good Time Club.

With only two weapons left, Reece was intending on taking things slow if they ran into anymore opposition inside. Shotgun at the ready, they stepped through the doors and into the lavish atrium of the club. "Welcome to the Good Time Club, sir or madam! Where the lions roar!" said an automation at the back of the room between two curved staircases. "The show is about to begin!"

The duo stepped into the center of the atrium looking at the architecture around them when the PA system kicked on. "Ah! Reece, my boy! You know, the best kind of interview is one where the applicant doesn't know he's being evaluated!"

Reece raised his middle finger in the air. "Evaluate this Fink! So take that _application_ and shove it!"

The business mogul chuckled, "Such fire! Such youthful rebellion! Most would turn away one such as you, Reece. But I've watched you since the other day at the lottery. Heh, heh...You're a brute! And in times like this I could use a brute!"

"What do you want, Fink?" Reece asked already fed up with the man's words.

"Why, labor unrest is coming, Reece! Heh, heh. Now...Fitzroy has got the jungle all riled up. A man like me could have use of a young fighter like you." Fink said as the duo walked up the stairs and to another set of doors that lead on to the balcony that overlooked a huge room filled with tables and booths with a stage set up in the middle of it all.

Reece looked around the environment and saw that the whole place was empty, save for them. "There are tears in here." Elizabeth whispered to him pointing out the slivers of light in various points within the room. The closest one being behind the large bar to their right.

Nodding, the traveler looked at the stage as an image of Fink appeared on the screen behind it. "Let's find Chen-Lin and get the hell out of here."

"Now, now! All I ask is that you finish what you started, Reece...Wouldn't want to disappoint the other applicants!" Fink exclaimed from around the room.

 _"Other applicants?"_ the teens wondered at the same time while having a feeling of dread filled their guts.

Lights came on around the stage and moved about as drumrolls rang out. "Our first candidate is a veteran of Peking." announced Fink gleefully. "Now, what's that they say about old soldiers? Ha ha ha ha! Frankly, my money's on you...He's something of an old hand at handling explosives...Only man I know who hasn't..heh heh...lost a limb working with them...Yet."

Elizabeth gasped, "Reece! Fireman!" she shouted as the Vigor infused armored man stomped down the stage from the back with a squad of five armed gunmen came out behind him. The Fireman summoned fireblasts to his hands before hurling them at the balcony forcing the two into cover.

"I'll deal with them! Find someplace to hide and open any tears that could give us an edge!" Reece shouted spraying buckshot down at the floor below, managing to drop two of the men while the others scrambled for cover.

"Already done!" Elizabeth called back. Lashing her hand out and causing a tear down below to open and bring forth an MG turret on top of one of the tables. The automated gun kicking on and began spraying slugs into the gunmen from their flank and cutting through them quickly.

The Fireman turned to address the new threat, channeling more fire to his palms when he felt buckshot pepper his side from the balcony above. Reece switched to his hand cannon when the shotgun ran empty. Lining up his shots and bracing for the recoil from the powerful handgun as he pulled the hammer back and fired.

Repeating the same motion as each round struck home causing the man's armor to dent inward and a grunt of pain to come from beneath his helmet. But the guns rate of fire was too slow and gave the Fireman time to recover long enough to send a fire-grenade up to the balcony that

Reece had to roll behind the bar next to Elizabeth to avoid being blown apart.

Elizabeth stood up and saw another tear across the balcony and wasted no time opening it. "Reece, there's an RPG launcher on the other side of the balcony!" she said as they heard the turret down below firing on their enemy before being cut off immediately by a small explosion.

The traveler took out his shotgun again and reloaded it before peering over the bar and saw the section of wall his charge had brought into existence where the launcher in question was waiting. The sound of the Fireman's armored boots hitting the stairs was all the reason he needed to get moving quickly.

"Stay down, don't let him see you." he said lowly getting a nod out of Elizabeth before he stood up and bolted as fast as he could to where the tear had been opened.

He was halfway to the launcher when the Fireman reached the top of the balcony and spotted the young man moving. "You can't run from me!" he roared launching a fireblast Reece's way.

The teen dropped to his knees and slid across the polished wood floors, the heat of the blast going over his head and burning a section of the wall ahead of him. He spun around, electricity charging down his arm as he fired a bolt into the Fireman, the metal armor acting as a conductor for the power and electrocuting him.

Not dealing enough damage because of the leather underlayer, but just enough to distract him for Reece to shoot bolts into the floor causing glowing crystals to form and charge before heading for the launcher again.

When the Vigors power wore off, the Fireman began stalking after his target. Passing by the crystals the teen had created and sending more bolts into his body when he triggered the traps.

Reaching the section of wall brought in from the tear. Reece pulled down the launcher and made sure it was loaded before facing the Fireman as he pushed past the electric trap. Staring down the sights as he pulled the trigger without hesitation.

The rocket flying from the barrel and hitting the armored man dead center and blowing him back against the wall hard enough to cause cracks to form in the hard wood. Not even bothering to see if the first shot had done the job, the traveler fired the second rocket which blew the downed man apart.

Breathing deeply, Reece dropped the launcher to the floor with a loud _'clank'._ The ammo expelled after only the two shots as Fink's voice echoed through the room again. "Oh-ho-ho! Good show, my boy! Truly top-notch!"

"Go fuck yourself Fink!" the teen shouted at the ceiling. "Is this how you treat the people who work for you? Sending them out to fight to the death like this is some kind of sick game? What kind of business man does that?!"

"Every business has a different process for finding the best folks for the job, Reece." the mogul replied. "It isn't a game, just a way for weeding out those undeserving of the position available. Now on to the next candidate!"

The stage lit up again as a large blue box rose from the end of the walkway, "This young go-getter is a former devolen of Lady Comstock. But without the old gal, they don't know quite what to do with themselves. Picked this one up at a hiring fair. For a song!"

A flock of crows converged on the top of the box and dispersed revealing a Crow standing there. He vanished into the flock again and reappeared before Reece on the balcony, brandishing his machete as he charged the teen.

Ducking under the strike, Reece elbowed the cloaked man in the chest knocking him back a step and launching a Bronco shockwave that suspended him in the air before throwing a fire-grenade that exploded on contact. Sending the Crow flying over the balcony's railing and falling toward the ground.

The cloaked man dispersed into crows before he hit the ground and reappeared on a nearby table. Reece's shield flared as another handful of gunmen ran up the steps close-by and opened fire on him with machine guns and pistols.

A second shockwave suspended the men in the air allowing the teen to raise his shotgun and put each of them down before having to reload. The Crow appeared behind him, machete raised to decapitate him.

"Behind you!" Elizabeth screamed seeing the danger about to befall her companion.

Reece heard her clearly and threw himself forward. Spinning around and firing two blasts from his weapon directly into the cloaked figure's chest and knocking him down to the floor. Getting back to his feet, he holstered the empty shotgun and drew the hand cannon as he approached the downed man.

Putting one last round into the Crow's head and turning it into a bloody spray of bone and grey matter.

For what felt like the millionth time since this nightmare started. Reece fought down the rising bile in his throat at the carnage that he had just committed. Stepping around the bodies of the men he had killed while reloading his weapons robotically as he went back to where Elizabeth stood waiting for him.

Concern clearly on her face as she watched him finish loading the last shell into his shotgun. "Reece? You okay?" she asked touching his arm.

He shook his head. "No, I'm not." he said squaring his shoulders and heading for another flight of stairs. But he was stopped when the young woman's hand slid down to his. She sent an understanding look his way as she squeezed gently.

The look alone eased some of the tension off of the traveler's shoulders. Knowing that he had at least one person with him through all of this that understood. _"Now if I can just get us out of this hell..."_ he thought to himself as they made their way down the stairs to the bottom floor.

"You're a pistol, Reece! A pistol!" Fink praised. "Why, that sort of ambition, my boy, will serve you well at Fink Industries!"

Reece gripped his shotgun to the point where his knuckles whitened. Teeth gritted as he felt anger burn through him like a gas fire. When he spoke, his voice was so cold that Elizabeth shivered from her spot next to him. "I would rather blow my own damn head off with this shotgun before even thinking about working for a slack-jawed, ego maniacle, asshole like YOU!"

The silence that followed was deafening. The music that had been playing around the stage stopped making it almost suffocating.

"That's...disappointing to hear." Fink said with true disappointment filling his tone. "However, with the opening acts already over, your true rival will not rest until your skills are pitted against one another."

The lights all centered around the box at the end of the stage. "The final candidate...is a man who has taken Father Franklin's experiments to a whole new level! The embodiment of Edison's great creations!" Locks began to disengage around the container as the walls fell away.

Revealing a man dressed similarly to the gunmen that had attacked before standing in the spotlight. His body covered in glowing blue lines as electricity crackled around his hands.

Glowing eyes looked down at the teens as a grin appeared on the living lightning-rods face. "Time to play kiddies." he said in a dark tone as the power output around his form caused several lights on the stage to explode.

Elizabeth took a step back from the bursts of light while Reece remained where he was. Eye locked on the new enemy knowing full well that the only way to reach Chen-Lin was through him.

Flames licking down his left arm as he held the shotgun against his shoulder, the traveler regarded the electric-man. "Alright pal, let's play."

 **A/N: After barely surviving the Handyman and the other men on Fink's payroll, there are still a few more obstacles before they can locate the gunsmith they had been sent to find...but with how things have been going for them up to this point it's doubtful that it'll be anywhere remotely easy.**

 **Update coming tomorrow.**


	12. Through the Looking Glass

**A/N: ...**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Bioshock.**

The Good Time Club had quickly went from a place of drinking and fun to something akin to the Roman Colossium. Complete with a tyranical madman who watched people butcher one another like it was a great honor to do so.

Of course, the gladiators back then didn't have guns or the ability to throw lightning from their hands.

Reece pulled Elizabeth down behind a booth as lightning shot over their heads from the electric powered thug on the stage. A literal hail of gunfire followed from two MG turrets that popped up from columns on either side of the raised platform.

The traveler popped up from behind their cover, shotgun in hand and started blasting away at the automated guns as his shield protected him from being torn apart. One turret exploded before he had to drop down when his field was broken.

Electricity crackling around his hands, the thug, which Reece had labeled a Shocker, ( **A/N: Name comes from Servox312!)** shot a cluster of bolts around the room. Causing charged crystals to form on several surfaces and forming a spider-web of energy and making movement even more difficult.

Peering over the booth, the teens saw the curtain around the stage open and a gun turret came floating out of with the aid of a small array of hot air balloons and propellers. A second contraption followed as they both started raining more rounds down from above.

Reece threw himself over Elizabeth and covered her as the rounds struck all around them. A couple bouncing off of his barrier as they drew in closer. "They got us pinned, we need a good plan and fast." he said taking out his hand cannon and aiming at one of the floating turrets. Firing a couple rounds when it came in range.

The young woman searched around the corner of the room where they holed up in. Eyes locking on a sliver of light rippling in the air behind another booth. "Tear!" she called out, holding up her hand and sending out a beam of light that opened the small portal and brining forth a crate with an RPG launcher on it.

Seeing the tear open, Reece looked up at the hovering turret closing in on them. Snapping a hand out and launching a Possession into it causing the automation to slowly turn around and shooting at the other guns in the room. Distracting them long enough for the teen to bolt from cover, sliding across the floor behind the booth where the tear opened.

Grabbing the launcher and bringing it to bear before firing the first rocket directly into the remaining stationary turret. Fire and metal rained down around the stage from the explosion as the traveler reaimed and fired the second rocket and destroying the floating turret that wasn't under his control.

Electricity shot through the air causing Reece to drop the spent launcher and drop into cover while drawing his shotgun. The Shocker walked toward the end of the stage, hand outstretched as he sent out another bolt that burned the polished wood of the booth the teen was crouched behind.

"Give it up kid! You're not leaving this club alive!" the man called out channeling more energy along his form.

The traveler was on his feet, shotgun registering before racking in a new round and firing again. The Shocker dodged to the side sending bolts in mutliple directions causing the teen to duck behind a table.

Reece rolled out of cover firing his last two shells before tossing the spent shotgun aside and throwing a fire-grenade at his opponent. The blast of fire and magma burning the Shocker's arm making him cry out in agony, giving the teen enough time to draw his hand cannon and put a round through his chest.

Pulling the hammer back, a second round followed the first. Punching another bloody hole in the electric-man's torso before he fell to the stage. The glowing lines covering his body fading along with his power as the life left him.

Lowering the powerful handgun, Reece charged his own electric powers and zapped all of the crystals around the room. Destroying them and disrupting the energy field they were giving off so that he and his charge could move again.

Elizabeth came out from behind her cover. Approaching her friend as he went to the body of one of the men he killed. Picking up the man's machine gun and several clips of ammo since his shotgun had run empty. "Well..." Reece said slamming a fresh clip into the weapon and looking at the young woman with a smirk. "Let's not go through that again."

A nod in agreement and a small smile lifted the tension in the air...but only for a moment.

"CONGRADULATIONS Reece!" Fink's voice echoed from the speakers around the room. "You know, when your name was first passed to me I wasn't quite sure you were the one for the job. But now, I can say with certainty that I was quite wrong!"

"Did you forget what I said before Fink?" Reece asked fed up with the mogul's constant jibberish. "I'm not interested in your job. I've got more important things to worry about than your crazy ass."

"Yes, yes. I know all about your little job for Fitzroy." replied the mogul. "But do you really want to take her offer over mine? Do you know how many people would kill to be Head of Fink Security? You're a tough nut ot crack, Mr. Vega. A tough nut!"

Fink's tone turned serious when he spoke again. "But I promise you this. I will get what I want." With that said, the PA system cut out and the lights around the upper balcony centered on the stages curtain as it rose up. Revealing the backstage area filled with props and scenery.

With no other way to go, and a gunsmith to find. The teens stepped on to the stage and entered the back area where a lone door stood off to the side. "I think that's the way down." Elizabeth said as they approached the door that lead into the dressing room.

Another door beyond that revealed a stairway that lead down to the buildings basement level. Reece stopped halfway down the steps and halted Elizabeth when he heard voices down below them. "Come on, Frannie. You're a modern woman...It's nineteen TWELVE..." they heard a male voice as they treaded lightly to the base of the stairs.

"It's gonna be TWO THOUSAND twelve before I'm interested in one like you." said a woman as footsteps could be heard getting closer.

Pressing himself and Elizabeth to the wall next to the door. Reece held a finger to his lips as he set the machine gun down between them an waited. Both guards walked through the door at the same time giving him the opening he was waiting for.

The traveler got behind them, grabbing the male guard by the neck and holding him as a shield. The female guard spun around fast and reached for her side arm but the teen was faster. Drawing her partner's gun and shooting her twice before dropping the weapon and locking the man in a strong arm-bar grapple. Kicking his feet out from under him and slamming his head into the bottom step of the stairs with a loud crunch.

Covering her mouth and looking away, Elizabeth jumped when she felt a hand on her arm. Reece gave her a reassuring smile before picking up his machine gun and motioning with his head to follow him.

He had begun to hate himself. The number of people he had killed in the last couple days was steadily climbing by the hour, he was pretty sure he passed his grandfather's kill count from back in the war. And to be honest...you can only call self-defense for so long before folks start calling bullshit.

Shaking his head, Reece remained focused on the task at hand. _"I'll deal with my morals and ethics being tainted when this shit is over. Besides, I'm pretty sure God would understand considering what Comstock and his marry band of assholes are doing here."_ he thought with his resolve returning as they entered another room.

Elizabeth took notice of a chalkboard on the wall with names listed next to certain numbers. "I think they keep high priority prisoners here." she said looking down the list until she saw something interesting. "Look! Chen-Lin, cell number 9"

"At least we know he's here." said Reece approaching a door with a lock on it. "Think you can get this open?"

The young woman smiled before approaching the lock, "This little thing? Easy." she said going to work on it and taking it off in less than 12 seconds. "Fink doesn't seem like the man people around here consider him to be." she stated as they entered a storage room with a furnace on the far wall.

"Most people like him never are. People who think that money and power can grant them whatever they want, including invincibility from the law." Reece said tensly. "I always hated guys like him. Preaching about hard work when they don't know the meaning of it."

Elizabeth looked to say something when the door on the other side of the store room burst open and two thugs ran in with clubs and knives in hand. Reece raised his machine gun and sprayed bullets and a small arc, peppering them and dropping them to the floor before they got too close.

The room they had come from looked like a man-made theater, complete with a film reel and projection screen for who ever wanted to watch.

Curious, the duo approached the projector and switched it on. The screen lit up with a grainy, black and white reel of an old asian man tied to a chair. Blood dripping down his face and one of his eyes swollen shut from whatever the people in this place had done to him.

It was easy to decipher that the man on the reel was Chen-Lin.

"Tell us what you know about Fitzroy, you goddamn gook!" a man shouted from off screen. "We know you can hear us. You wanna say something?" said another. "Or you want us to bring in Mrs. Lin for company?"

The teens looked on with different emotions. Elizbeth in horror, Reece in rage at seeing what they were putting this poor man through.

Chen-Lin remained silent despite the mens' threats. "Eh, throw a bucket of ice water on him, we got three more to bring in tonight." said the first interrogator. The projection cut out after thar leaving a tense silence.

"We need to find him, and fast." the traveler said turning to the door to their right and heading for it. Stepping into the adjacent hallway where they were hit with a powerful stench that made their eyes water.

"Ugh...What's that smell?" Elizabeth gaged.

"No bathrooms. They treat their prisoners like animals." her companion said, covering his nose with his jacket an catching sight of a guard at the far end of the prison block. A quick burst from his machine gun put him down allowing them to move about without fear of detection.

"What did people do to deserve being locked up in a place like this?" Elizabeth asked as they began checking cells.

"From what I've seen, Fink doesn't need a reason to do anything as long as it's in Comstock's favor." said the traveler walking by another door.

The cell door on Reece's right burst open and another guard ran out to attack him. In the span of only a few seconds, the teen dropped his gun, grabbed the man's outstretched arm and flipped him over his shoulder. Slamming the guard on the ground before snapping the arm he was still holding hard to the side breaking it easily from his angle.

Shouting in pain, the guard was silenced when a boot heel slammed down on his throat. Crushing his windpipe and breaking his neck in one shot leaving the hallway quiet again.

Picking up his gun, Reece motioned to Elizabeth to keep moving as they headed to the end of the prison block where the steel door with the number **'9'** was painted on the front. "This is it." said the traveler reloading his weapon. "Get ready for anything."

His charge quickly picked the lock and stepped aside as he kicked the door open. Gun at the ready as they stormed the room beyond.

To their surprise, it wasn't a jail cell like the others. The door opened up to a long room filled with tables, crates and barrels. Shackles hung from the tiled walls a couple of which still had blood stained on them. "What is this place?" asked Elizabeth with a shiver seeing various sharp instruments on the tables nearby.

"It ain't no jail cell..." Reece said not liking the feel of the place either. Bad things had happened here, he could sense it in his bones. His gaze locked on a set of stairs to their right and they headed for it.

"Reece, you're a lion." Finks voice came over the PA system making the teens snap to attention. "But you can't blame me for looking after my own interests, can you? Now, I know Fitzroy has come calling...but I think you'll find your business with her has come to an end. Heh heh. Lions walk with lions, Reece. Not hyenas!"

Neither of them liked the sound of what Fink was saying and moved faster. Going down flight after flight of stairs until they reached the bottom floor. The white tiles under them covered in streaks of fresh blood that lead through a set of double doors ahead of them into a darkened room.

Senses hightened, finger tight around the trigger. Reece stepped slowly inside. Elizabeth nearly glued to his side as they moved together through the shadows and toward a small lamp that illuminated the light switch in the back of the room.

Their shoes stepped in puddles on the floor making the sounds echo off the walls as they reached the switch and pressed it.

The bright florecent lights above sprang on temporarily blinded the duo. When they adjusted to the sudden light, they saw what kind of room they were in. The blood draining from their faces as a cold chill went up their spines.

It resembled a surgical theater, white tiled walls and floors with tables covered in bloody surgical devices. The puddles they had been stepping through when they had entered was blood, all of it coming from the middle of the room where a battered and bleeding man was strapped down to a chair.

"...Reece..." Elizabeth whimpered in horror, covering her mouth as bile slowly rose in the back of her throat.

Swallowing back the lump in his own throat. Reece stepped slowly toward the man in the chair. It was Chen-Lin. And from the looks of his corpse he'd been there for a while being subjected to god knew what as the assholes in this place tried to get information out of him.

Reaching up, the teen pressed his fingers to the man's throat. His skin already cooled below normal standards and lacking a pulse. He looked at Elizabeth grimly and shook his head. "He's dead. Bastards tortured him until his body couldn't take it anymore...We're too late."

Anger burned through his veins. His arm lashing out and flipping one of the tables over and sending the instruments on it clattering to the floor and echoing through the room. "FUCK!" the traveler roared, taking deep breaths to calm himself. "No one deserves to die like this! Like some fucking animal in a slaughter house!"

Overcoming the sudden movements of her companion, Elizabeth looked at Chen's body sadly. "Fink...this is what he meant. What will we do now?"

Reece breathed out through his nose, calming himself as much as he could before speaking, "Dead is dead. We can't help him now."

"Dead is dead." Reece had his machine gun up and Elizabeth spun around when they heard a man's voice at the front of the room where the door was. The flickering light above the entrance illuminating the calm and emotionless forms of Robert and Rosalind as they stood observing them from the threshold.

"Where the hell did you two come from? How the hell did you get in here?" the traveler growled not liking the situation.

Neither of them answered. Robert took out a coin and flipped it in the air, catching it and showing what side it landed on. "I see...heads." said Rosalind.

"And I see tails." said her brother turning the coin over.

"It's all a matter of perspective." replied Rosalind.

"Why are you following us? Who are you working for?" asked Elizabeth not understanding what they were saying.

"What do you see here from this angle?" asked Robert.

"Dead." said Rosalind. "And that angle?"

"Alive." said her brother. "Two sides. Different outcomes."

A sliver of light started forming over Chen-Lin's body. Reece and Elizabeth stepped back as the light grew brighter and brighter until it burst. The gunsmith's body disappeared and in it's place was a black and white portal that revealed a room similar to the one they were in on the other side.

Only the floors were made of wood and the tables had crates on them. The image faded in and out as though it were trying to come into focus.

"It...looks like another Columbia." said Reece overcoming his shock and looking through the portal.

"It is." Elizabeth replied stepping closer to the light. "A different Columbia than the one we're in right now."

"The same coin." said Robert reminding them that they were still there.

"A different perspective." said Rosalind.

"Heads." "Tails." "Dead." "Alive." The portal fluctuated with each word as though it were waiting for something to happen.

Elizabeth reached out and touched the edges making the constant shifting stop. "We have to go through...to this other Columbia. But how?"

The twins smiled at her. "It's like riding a bicycle." said Robert.

"One never really forgets." said Rosalind.

"One just needs the courage to climb aboard." added her brother. The portal flashed again blinding the teens for a moment, and when they looked back at the doorway the twins were gone. The lights back to normal as though nothing had happened.

 _"How the hell are they doing that?"_ Reece wondered looking from where the two was standing and back to the portal. _"But right now...what do we do?"_

"Reece." the traveler looked at Elizabeth who looked back at him seriously. "I think I can open this tear enough for us to pass through. But if we do...I don't think I'll be able to bring us back here."

Looking back at the tear, Reece couldn't think of any other options. Who knew what was on the other side. Despite the cryptic words the twins had used he did understand what they were saying on a small level.

The Columbia on the other side was similar to the one they were in, but much like a coin it was also different. This coupled with Elizabeth's explinations about tears and how they work gave him a rough idea on what they might encounter on the other side.

 _"Multi-verse...makes me wish I took that physics class back at school. Just thinking about it gives me a headache."_ he thought shaking his head.

"We don't have many options. If Chen-Lin is alive in this alternate Columbia then it's the only thing going for us." he said coming to a decision.

Elizabeth nodded, stepping closer to the tear and reaching out to grab the edges. Straining from exertion as she began to pull the opening apart and expanding it slowly. Wisps of energy coming out of the portal and around the young woman's body as she put more power into it.

With one good pull the tear spread throughout the room. The skin on Reece's arms tingled when he felt the energy wash over him as they passed through the opening. The world around them remaining in black and white as it shifted and changed. The surgical room becoming a store room filled with crates containing guns of different varieties.

The blood stained tile floors becoming wooden and clean as the Columbia the duo had been in vanished like a bad memory.

In moments, the grainy look of the world came into better focus. Colors coming back to everything around them as their little 'jump' settled around them. Sounds and smells returning to their senses as they now stood in the new world.

"That was...I got nothing." Reece said still in awe looking at how things had changed around them. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Elizabeth sway on her feet and moved quickly to her side to catch her when she almost toppled over. "Elizabeth? You okay?" he asked holding her steady.

Nodding, the young woman attempted to stand but fell back into her companions arms. "A bit dizzy. Opening that tear took a little more out of me than I thought." she admitted. Before she knew what was happening, Reece scooped her up in his arms making an 'eep!' squeak out of her as he held her in a bridal carry and moved over to a nearby crate.

"I think we both deserve a break after what we've been through." he said setting her down gently on the wood surface. Taking off his backpack and setting it next to her while digging out a bottle of water and a few snacks he'd managed to acquire. "Rest up, we'll get moving again when you're feeling better."

The obvious care in Reece's voice had Elizabeth blushing. She began munching on a few of the snacks they had while her companion began going through some of the crates in the room. Watching him silently as he moved about taking lids off the boxes and observing the contents.

A familiar feeling began blooming in her chest. The feeling of warmth that she had been experiencing since he'd saved her from the tower, the same one she had been trying to find an explination to every free moment she had.

Being alone in that tower had left her isolated, only a handful of people had been there every once in a while, but in the end the young woman was alone growing up. Songbird had been the closest thing to a friend she had. But after a while he became more like her warden instead of a companion, leaving her feeling empty and depressed.

Then it all changed. A young man her age falling from the ceiling in her prison, promising her freedom and offering protection along with safe passage out of the city that held her captive. A man out of time, yet willing to help someone he knew nothing about. Whose bravery went beyond that of the heros she had read in the many books in her library.

Her mind slowly drifted toward the way he looked when he revealed his 'tattoos'. Heat rising to her cheeks as she recalled the toned muscles that were revealed, a product of his physical conditioning back in his time. Her stomach had squirmed when her fingers traced the black markings along his warm skin, finding it hard to pull away.

Shaking her head in an attempt to ward away those thoughts, but the memory of when she saved Reece from drowning appeared. Performing CPR to get him breathing again, the feel of his lips on her own as she breathed life back into him...

 _"Stop it!"_ she mentally screamed at herself. But the feeling in her chest seemed to grow with her thoughts. The more they went along together, the closer they seemed to get and the harder it was for Elizabeth to keep him out of her thoughts.

Her eyes widened when realization hit her. Even with the books she read growing up it had taken her this long to figure out why she had been feeling the way she had been toward Reece. _"It...could it be possible?"_ she wondered looking back at the traveler as he pulled a couple of weapons from a crate and set them on the table in the middle of the room.

 _"Could I be...No. I have only known him for two days. Even after everything we've been through up to this point."_ she thought sadly. _"He's from the future, he'll have to return at some point. But the signs are all there. And I can't help myself from feeling like this."_

Elizabeth smiled, hand resting over her chest as she began to relish in the feeling spreading through her.

X

Reece looked at the weapons he had gathered and the boxes of ammo for each on the table before him.

One of the weapons looked exactly like his machine gun, but had a smaller clip and was only capable of firing single shot instead of full auto.

The other gun looked like a carbine, but had been modified to the point of looking like something completely different. The tip of the barrel was larger along with the clip size, the weapon also had a small lense acting as a sight on the top. It was capable of firing in three-round bursts allowing both accuracy and rate of fire at the same time making it the better of the two.

Both guns possessed a red and black paint job which confirmed what the signs on all of the crates had stated that these weapons were confiscated from the Vox. _"I'm already getting a bad feeling about this universe."_ he thought bitterly while picking up the 'Burst Gun' checking it over before slapping a fresh clip into it.

He grabbed boxes of ammo for it, the machine gun and the hand cannon he got from other crates and headed over to where he left the backpack next to Elizabeth. His eyes catching his charge who looked to be deep in throught about something. Her eyes trained on the floor and a blush painting her cheeks while she smiled.

"Elizabeth?" he asked snapping her out of her daze. "Feeling any better?"

The young woman's blush deepened, "Y-Yes, I am feeling a bit better. Thank you." she managed to stutter out before hopping off of the crate.

Reece gave her a calculating look, wondering what she had been thinking so hard about but deciding to let it go. "If you're up for it, we should get moving again. Don't know who we might encounter or what has changed compared to where we were before."

Getting a nod back, he reached for the backback when Elizabeth stopped him. "I'll carry it." she said picking the bag up and slinging it over her shoulders.

"You sure? It's not too heavy?" he asked wondering if she could handle it.

The young woman adjusted the straps so that it was comfortable before regarding her companion. "It's fine, Reece. And besides, it'll be easier for me to toss you Salts and ammo when you need it instead of you having to reach for it while in combat."

Not being able to fight with that kind of logic, Reece agreed but under the stipulation that she let him know when it got to be too much for her to handle. With new rifle in hand, the duo left the room and up the stairs that were thankfully still there. "Everything looks similar...just a bit off." said the traveler keeping his rifle level.

"It's another world Reece. Another Columbia." said Elizabeth as they reached the top of the steps.

"Gotta strong feeling that our dead gunsmith won't be the only thing that's changed here." replied Reece pushing the door leading to the prison block open. The whole corridor was filled with loud shouts coming from the surrounding cells.

Every barred off room was filled with people, many of them wearing uniforms identifying them as members of the Vox. The rest were civilians who looked terrified at where they were being kept.

 _"What the hell happened around here?"_ Reece wondered as they stepped through the corridor. "Vega! Vega over here!" the teen turned and recieved a shock when he saw a familiar face behind the bars to his left.

Cornelius Slate gripped the bars before him, his uniform looking somewhat the same from the last time he saw him but also had a bit of the Vox's colors mixed in. His old, haggard face looking more worn than before as his lone eye leered out at them.

"Slate?" Reece asked stepping up to the cell. "What the hell are you doing here? What happened to everything?"

Slate scoffed, "What hasn't happened? This is what we get for trusting that bastard Chen-Lin with helping Fitzroy's cause. He was suppose to give us enough firearms to overthrow Comstock...instead he betrayed us and we were captured!"

The other prisoners all roared in outrage with the old veteran. "But the real question here is, where have you been Vega?" asked Slate. "You up and vanished damn near a week ago, what happened?"

Reece shot a confused look at Elizabeth who just shrugged equally confused. "It's...hard to explain." he said to the veteran. "But we need to find Chen-Lin and ask a few questions. Think you can lend a hand?"

"Can't do much from in here, soldier." replied away from the bars.

The traveler shouldered his rifle and drew the hand cannon, "Step back!" he shouted as the rebels all backed away from the door. Pressing the barrel to the doorlock and pulling the trigger, the lock on the cell blew apart allowing the door to swing open.

He repeated the same action with the rest of the cells allowing the captured men and woman to file out into the corridor. "All the confiscated weapons are down in the lower levels! Arm up and get the hell out of here!" the teen called out to the dozens of people gathered.

Half the Vox members that were gathered went down to get the weapons while the rest stayed behind to make sure the civilian prisoners were safe. Slate exited his cell and regarded the young man who released them. "Still the same man you always were. Enough honor and bravery to inspire those around you. Good to see you haven't lost that."

"We're going after Chen-Lin. Think you and your men can keep Fink and Comstock's men off of us?" asked Reece taking out his burst rifle again.

Slate grinned, "You go on ahead, son. We'll clear a path once we're finished arming up. We got some payback to dish out to these dishonorable bastards."

Nodding to the old veteran, the two teens back tracked along the same path they had gone through before. Thankful that the buildings layout was exactly the same. They stepped into the room with the projection reel and saw that it was playing again.

"Daisy Fitzroy. Come on, you piece of horse shit! Tell me about Daisy-" the interrogator was cut off by his partner. "Scofield says cut him loose. They're bringing his tools to the lockup."

Passing through the room, Reece kept trying to wrap his head around what was happening. "How can Chen-Lin be alive? I can understand the whole different universe thing, but how can death be reversed?"

"We're in a world where he was never murdered." replied Elizabeth. "Somewhere we'll find out why, I suppose."

"I guess we can rule out the possibility of changing one thing and keeping the rest the same?" asked her companion only getting a shake of the head in return. "What about what Slate said? How can he know me here when we just got here?"

Stroking her chin, the young woman thought hard about that. "I really can't be sure 100%. Perhaps it's similar to how Chen-Lin is still alive instead of being dead. There must have been alternate versions of ourselves in this world at one point."

Reece could feel his headache growing, "Christ, maybe I should have gone into Quantum Mechanics for school instead of Auto Mechanics." he said getting a giggle out of Elizabeth.

They entered the room at the bottom of the stairs leading to the dressing rooms upstairs. Standing by the doors was the two guards Reece had taken out before. But something was wrong with them. One was on the floor groaning in pain and the other was barely able to stand upright. Blood dripped out of their eyes, ears, nose and mouths making it look like they were suffering.

"I'm disgusted. DISGUSTING. Sick SICK sick..." groaned the male guard on the floor.

"These guards..." Reece trailed off keeping his weapon leveled on them. "I killed them. They were dead."

"Not in this world." said his charge as they stepped around them. The dillerious guards unaware of their passing. "Perhaps the world we came from effects this one in some ways. You killed them before, so now..." she looked striken. "It could be possible that...they remember dying. And the memories are making them this way."

Reece looked disturbed at the thought, the sheer horror of reliving your own death when you're alive. "I guess there really is a worse fate than death." he mused as they left the guards alone and went up the stairs to the dressing room. Passing through it without trouble and out on to the stage.

A spotlight covered them making the duo cover their eyes. It was then they realized their error.

The whole room had people in it. They were in the middle of watching a show when the teens stepped out on to the stage. Several of the men in the crowd standing up and reaching for weapons.

"WHAT is GOING on HERE, SANSMARK?!" Fink roared over the speakers in the room. "As my HEAD of SECURITY, I suspect YOU'LL want to find out HOW these two slipped past YOUR MEN. And WHAT THEY WERE DOING IN THE BASEMENT!"

The soldiers that had been in the room stormed the stage, clubs in hand while Reece raised his rifle and fired a three-round burst into the closest gunman. Quickly reaiming and shooting two others as the rest made it on to the platform.

Ducking under a swipe, Reece drove his elbow hard under the soldier's chin and cracking a couple of his teeth. Pressing the barrel of the rifle into the man's gut and pulling the trigger twice, spraying blood through the air before dropping the body and blocking a strike from another soldier.

Lifting his foot and kicking the man away and shooting electricity into his form, putting him down and aiming at the last soldier and shooting him in the head as he tried reaching for Elizabeth.

The immediate threat was over, but the doors around the threater burst open making Reece pull the young woman behind him as he prepared to fight. But to their surprise gunfire erupted from the open doorways.

Soldiers wearing Comstock's colors tumbled out of the doorways with bullet holes covering their forms. The Vox members that had been imprisoned came out weapons drawn as they finished off the men.

The door leading back to the basement burst open and more prisoners came out with guns ready. The civilians kept within a protective formation as they moved out into the open. Leading this group was Slate. Machine gun clenched in his hand as he approached the teens.

"Having fun without us, Vega?" asked the old veteran putting two rounds into the soldier that was still twitching from Reece's electric attack. "If your going after that bastard-traitor Lin than I'd get moving. The boys and I are heading back to base, Fitzroy will be happy to have so many of her people back."

Reece nodded, "Let her know she'll have her guns. But she had better remember our deal." Slate nodded as he motioned for his men to follow him. Leading the civilians out of the threater and out of harms way.

Looking at Elizabeth, the traveler made a similar motion as they headed for the exit. Passing by the bodys of the guards stationed around the building and out into the square where a full on gun battle was just finishing up. The members of the Vox putting down the last of the soldiers in the area while others helped wounded civilians that had been caught in the crossfire.

"I'm really not liking this place." Reece said looking at a dead worker buried under a broken carriage. He looked up at the clocktower where Lin's business was kept and headed that way with Elizabeth beside him. Entering the shop and finding it looking almost the same as it had before.

Going through the shop to the back, they began climbing the stairs when Elizabeth made an observation. "You hear anything?"

Straining to hear, the traveler shook his head. "No machines, no tools, nothing. We better find him, that's probably the only way for us to find out how to get out of all this." they rounded the next corner and up the stairs only to stop in their tracks.

The shrine that had once been dedicated to Buddha was now dedicated to Comstock. Bearing the city's flags and a bust of the Prophet gazing down at them from its spot on the altar. "Reece...the shrine. It's a figure of Comstock now." Elizabeth said with a slight shiver.

"I guess the changes are a lot worse than we thought." Reece said as they passed the shrine and up to the attic. But instead of seeing machines and tools meant for making guns, they only found emptiness. The interrogation recorded on the reel back in the theaters basement had been right when they said all of the gunsmith's things had been taken.

Movement to the left had the traveler's weapon up. In the shadows of the room, a man was moving about as though he were working on something. He didn't seem to notice their arrival and went about his business. Stepping closer, they recognized the man immediately.

Chen-Lin moved his hands through the air, acting as though he were working on something that only he could see. Lowering his rifle, Reece reached to tap the man on the shoulder. "Um, Mr. Lin? Chen-Lin?" his hand touched the gunsmith's shoulder...

...And passed right through it as his form flickered like it had bad reception.

The gunsmith spun around and started freaking out. "Who are you? You speak up. Speak up! Can't hear you over all these machines!" he exclaimed as his body flickered a little more wildly. Moving to another part of the room and 'working' on another invisible machine.

Confusion just didn't quite say it for what the teens were feeling at that moment. Clearing his throat, Reece tried speaking to him again. "I'm Reece Vega-"

"Stand back! These machines very dangerous! Wait downstairs with Mrs. Lin!" Chen said cutting him off as he continued his 'work'.

"Daisy Fitzroy sent us to talk to you about getting some weapons?" the teen pushed forward wanting to get answers.

Chen shook his head, moving about the room seemingly in a daze as he spoke again. "Machines very dangerous. No place for stupid people. Want to lose pretty head?"

Reece bristled and approached the gunsmith, "Alright, enough of this. We're looking for answers and we're-"

"Reece." he stopped when Elizabeth grabbed his arm. "Remember seeing him dead in that cell? Maybe in some way he remembers what he had been through."

It took a moment, but understanding passed through her companion's thoughts. "Like the guards back at the theater..." he looked back at Chen and felt pity for the man. "How can you reconcile something like that?"

The young woman shrugged helplessly. "Maybe Mrs. Lin has answers. It's worth a shot to find out how to help him."

Agreeing with her, they headed back down the stairs to find the lady of the house and found themselves back at the shrine where a caucasian woman in a regal dress was standing before the altar and praying. "Heal my husband. Calm his troubled thoughts. Ease his burden. Bring Chen-Lin back to me."

If they were confused before, Reece and Elizabeth sure as hell were now. "Excuse me, ma'am?" asked Reece making the woman turn to him. "We're looking for Mrs. Lin."

The woman looked confused. "I am Mrs. Lin. Sarah Lin." she said getting confused looks back.

"No, a little chinese woman. She was here when-"

Elizabeth gently bumped her companion's arm getting his attention. "Reece, this _is_ Mrs. Lin." she said with a lot of meaning in her tone that he had gotten immediately.

Mrs. Lin wiped a tear from her eye before speaking again, "They took Chen's tools. What's he got without his tools?"

"To be honest ma'am, your husband is a bit out of it at the moment." said Reece as gently as he could.

"If...if he could work again, maybe...if-if he could work, he'd-" Mrs. Lin couldn't seem to speak over her grief.

Elizabeth approached the distraught woman and touched her arm. "Mrs. Lin, can you tell us who took your husband's tools?" she asked trying to ease her thoughts so that she could answer them.

"Goddamn police." Mrs. Lin growled lowly. "They took them and locked them up, in the impound in Shantytown." She turned back to the Comstock shrine and began praying again. With nothing else being said the teens began decending the stairs back to the shop.

"Is she right? Would having his tools back fix his mind?" Elizabeth asked when they were out of earshot.

"Who knows. I'm already so far out of my element here that it's not even remotely funny." Reece admitted as they reached the bottom floor. "Regardless, unless we have those guns we can't get out of Columbia. So I guess our next stop is Shantytown. We find Lin's tools, get them back to him and hope for the best."

Heading out into the main shop, Reece had a sinking feeling fill his stomach. They had been ducking and dodging the police the best they could through most of their journey. And now they were walking right into their hands.

 _"This'll be fun..."_ he thought bitterly while pulling the bolt back on his rifle as they went back outside.

 **A/N: Just when things couldn't get any rougher. This could prove to me one of the most challenging parts of their journey since they will be going straight into the lion's den. And with Elizabeth's powers growing ever more powerful, how much more will change?**

 **Update tomorrow guys.**


	13. Not All the Same

**A/N: A little late, but I always try to come through in the end for my readers.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Bioshock.**

Even though their new heading would prove to be their most dangerous up to this point. Neither Reece or Elizabeth could find any other way to get where they needed to be. So with as much courage as they could muster, the teens began making their way toward the police station impound that was located in Shantytown.

Following the signs posted around the square, they made their way into a docking station that would lead them to the next sector in the city. A line of freight cars blocking their path before Reece pulled a lever that moved them along the track.

"You know, ever since we met you haven't asked me." Elizabeth said all of a sudden.

The traveler regarded her with a raised eyebrow as he began scouring through a vending machine while the freight cars moved. "About what?" he asked buying upgrades for his Shock Jockey and gulping them down.

"My finger." said the young woman holding her hand that had the silver thimble covering the remaining half of her pinkey.

Reece looked back at her and shrugged, "It isn't my place to pry. I figured that it was something personal." he said honestly.

Elizabeth smiled at him, "It's alright. What happened to me is as much a mystery as it is to anyone else." she admitted. "Songbird might know, but he's not talking."

"And he's kind of an asshole." she gave him a dirty look, "Sorry." he lamented realizing he spoke bad about something he shouldn't have.

Elizabeth sighed, "No...it's alright. I shouldn't be so sensitive about it." She looked at her damaged finger and smiled, "As for this, at least I get to wear this stylish thimble to cover up my hideous deformity. I hear they're all the rage in Paris."

Reece hand gently clasped around hers making her look up at him. "There's _nothing_ hideous about you, Elizabeth. And as for this?" he ran his index finger over the silver thimble. "Sometimes it's the small things that make us unique in our own way. It tells a lot about us and makes us special."

For what seemed like the hundredth time since this all started, Elizabeth was awed at the companions words. "R-Really?" she asked with a slight stutter, a blush covering her face feeling his hand holding hers.

"Of course." Reece replied. "My grandfather came back from his time in the war with the left half of his face scarred from a grenade. Yet not once did he ever feel bad about it. He always said that he wore his scars like a badge of honor, a testiment to what he was fighting for along side his brothers in arms."

Looking at her hand, feeling the soft skin he grinned. "And your right about it being stylish. In my time you'd probably bring these things back in style." That got a good laugh out of the girl before they lapsed into silence.

The freight cars finished moving allowing passage through the other exit in the room. Reece took up his burst rifle and pushed the doors open enough to peer through and saw the docking bay beyond. Several guards patrolled the area with guns at the ready, unaware of what was coming their way.

"I see a couple of tears. Both would help us get through without too much trouble." Elizabeth whispered next to him.

"See any that could give us an opening to move out there?" Reece asked looking at the men stationed around the bay. She pointed out one tear in particular that was off to the side on an elevated section of the docks. "Open it, and get ready to move." he said pressing the rifle to his shoulder.

Elizabeth held out her hand, a beam of light shooting out and opening the small portal and bringing forth an automated gun turret that swung around and began laying waste to the guards before they even knew what was happening.

Kicking the doors open, Reece stepped out into the open. Raising his rifle and putting a three-round burst into a guard that was crouched down behind a low wall. The rest of the men were too busy dealing with the mechanical threat that they couldn't find cover from the travelers aim.

On the catwalk above the main floor, another guard came out of hiding brandishing a volley gun. Taking aim at the teen below and letting loose a small salvo of explosive rounds.

Seeing the danger, Elizabeth snapped her hand out and opened another tear that erected a pile of rubble in front of Reece that stopped the rounds from reaching him.

Sending a quick thank you to the young woman, Reece leaned out of his newly formed cover and fired several bursts into the gunman above. The rounds tearing through his target and causing him to fall to the wood planks below.

With all the hostiles cleared out, the duo had no trouble passing through the rest of the docking bay and into the departing section where the elevator to Shantytown waited for them. "This better work." Reece said hitting the button on the lift with his fist causing it to decend.

They waited in silence as they drew closer to their next destination. Reece dumped the spent clip from his rifle and slammed a fresh one home as the window before them showed Shantytown coming into view the closer they got to the ground.

"You must think I'm some kind of freak." Elizabeth said from her spot, arms crossed as she looked to the floor. "A girl who can bring dead men back to life. Whose only aquaintance is a giant bird creature. I must seem ridiculous."

Reece sighed, "You're not a freak. You just got dealt a bad hand with a lot of strings attached."

"I am not going back to that tower. No matter what happens." She said defiantly. "What did I do to get locked up there in the first place? What did I do to them?"

The traveler touched her arm making her turn. "You scare them." he said honestly.

Elizabeth's eyes hardened, "Good." her gaze locked with his and turned hesitant. "Are you...scared of me? Of what I'm capable of?"

"No. Because I can see what kind of person you are. Your kind-hearted and care about life, I could never be afraid of you." Reece said making her smile. "And they won't take you back to that place. They'll have to go through me first, and I'm beginning to make a career out of handling self-rightous ass-hats."

The elevator dinged after reaching the ground floor. The doors opening revealing what Reece would describe as this era's version of a ghetto. Garbage littering the streets around crudly built shacks, the people dressed in clothes only a step above rags covered in dirt and grime because they had no money to even afford the simplest things.

A man stood on top of a crate in the center of the small street before a barrel with flames coming out of it. People gathered around as he preached to them. "This is what they want, brothers. To keep you so HUNGRY you can't speak, but to beg. To keep you so IGNORANT you can't think of solutions to all your problems. To keep you CHASIN' that ALMIGHTY SILVER EAGLE, so you can BUY EVERYTHING they're sellin' to keep you down, brothas."

Stepping out of the elevator, the duo made their way along the path on the side of the street. Staying out of sight as they observed their surroundings. "These people are like this because of Fink?" Elizabeth asked feeling disgusted. "Maybe Daisy's right. Maybe she should pay him back for all of this."

They passed by a stoop where a woman sat on the ground. Her little boy curled in a fetal postion in her lap, whimpering helplessly as his mother held him with tears in her eyes.

Reece stopped, looking at the scene before him. Elizabeth looked on as well feeling tears build up in her own. "How can anyone allow this to happen to people?" she asked not believing her eyes.

Her companion didn't answer, instead he approached her and dug through the backpack she carried. Pulling out a couple of items before approaching the small family. The woman looked up and tensed seeing the young man with a gun approaching her, he held up his hands, setting his rifle aside as he knelt down by them.

"He's sick...isn't he?" Reece asked seeing the boy's pale face and shivering form.

His mother nodded, "Y-Yes. We can't afford medicine. My poor baby's gone so long without food his body is too weak." she said hopelessly.

The traveler held out his hand, in it was a small health vial he pulled from the bag. "Take this. It should help him recover."

Taking the vial hesitantly, the woman proped up her son enough so that he was sitting up. The boy whimpered at being moved as his mother opened the bottle and held it to his lips. "Drink baby. It's medicine." the boy began drinking the concotion slowly. When it was gone color returned to his cheeks, eyes opening wider as the pain he had been feeling faded away.

"Momma? I feel...better." the boy said sitting up on his own as the health serum finished it's job. The woman cried in joy hugging her child close, she looked up at the young man as he dug around in his jacket. Pulling out his hand to reveal that it was filled with Silver Eagles.

"What's the catch? What do you want?" the woman asked with a hard look while holding her boy a little closer.

Reece shook his head, "No catch, ma'am. Just doing the right thing." he took her hand in his free one and placed the good sized sum of coins in it. Being sure no one else saw what was happening so that the two weren't robbed. "Get yourselves fed, and take care of one another." he said closing the woman's hand over the coins. Giving them one last smile before picking up his rifle and standing up.

"Thank you." said the boy as his mother pocketed the Silver Eagles. The traveler looked at the kid a moment, reaching into his jacket and pulling out an apple before tossing it to him. "Be there for your mom, kid. She needs a strong man to help her when she needs it." without another word he gave them a small salute before heading off again.

He turned to Elizabeth who was giving him the warmest look he had ever seen. "My parents raised me right." he answered her unasked question. "I couldn't just walk past them like that. Not when they needed help."

"They would be really proud of you." she said as they got moving again. "I know I am. Most would have just left them be."

"I'm not like most." replied her companion.

Elizabeth looked at the mother and child over her shoulder and smiled, "No...you're not."

X

The rest of the trip through the run down town was a little tense. People watched them walk through the cobblestoned streets with a combination of intrest and confusion. They had encountered a group of people attempting to break open a vending machine and rob it at one point.

Elizabeth used her powers to open a tear nearby and bringing large sacks of food into this reality that had everyone in the vicinity running over to get some of it.

"Are there places like this where you're from?" she had asked as they drew closer to the police station.

"All over the world." Reece said keeping his eyes open for any threats. "There are organizations that do what they can to help those in need. But in the end there is only so much people can do. As cruel as it sounds...you can't help everybody."

They walked down a flight of steps and stopped when they heard someone speaking. Pressing their backs to a wall, the teens peered around a corner and saw a group of soldiers assembled on the lower level with a Commander addressing them.

"The Vox Populi are the bastard child of the foreigner and the heathen. And like all bastards, we serve it best by smothering it in its crib." spoke the Commander. "We hear tell that the gunsmith was making weapons for the Vox. We squashed that gunsmith like a bug and took his tools for our own."

Reece shook his head and spotted the impound not too far away, he also got a good look at their opposition. "There's a damn army between us and the impound." he said leaning back around their hiding place. "We're going to have to plan this seriously or they'll blow us to hell and gone before we get within 30 feet of the door."

"I can see a few things that will help us. Could a good enough distraction give us an edge?" asked Elizabeth.

"Maybe...but we don't know how many police are in the station or how many of them will come out when they hear what's going on." said the traveler. His eyes caught sight of a skyway going around the impound. Leading up to two towers on either side of the building making perfect overwatch positions. "There are two towers that overlook the station and the coutryard in front. If we can get up there it should provide us with a good enough vantage point."

Looking where her companion was pointing out, Elizabeth's eyes looked back down as the Commander continued to speak with his men. "How are we going to get up there with so many guards in the way?"

Reece held up his hand, channeling his Possession abilities into it as he looked at the gathered soldiers. "I have a plan for that, stay low and follow me." he said crouching down and moving along the handrails close to them. Unseen by the guards as they went down a ramp leading to their level and stopping behind a stack of crates.

Leaning out just out of sight, he raised his hand and sent a Possession into the soldier that was the farthest away from them. The man began twitching from the Vigor's effect before turning to the one next to him. Taking out his pistol and shooting him in the head causing all hell to break look among the group.

"Go! Now!" Reece whispered/yelled grabbing Elizabeth's hand and pulling her along to another stack of crates. The soldiers too preoccupied by their turncoat collegue than to notice the two teens as they moved along behind the crates. Reaching the rails for the skyway and taking out their sky-hooks.

"Intruders! Stop them!" the Commander yelled after subduing the possessed man and seeing them in the open. Reece spun around and put a few rounds in his chest, giving Elizabeth time to jump on to the rail with him right behind as the rest of the soldiers fired on them.

They reached the top of the tower in seconds. Feet touching down, Reece turned and saw the guards taking out their own sky-hooks and chasing after them. He raised his rifle and looked down the sights, shooting them out of the air as they tried to reach them.

"Reece!" the traveler looked to the police station and saw a few red lights switch on. He had all of a few moments to realize what was happening before the turrets ontop of the building fired rockets at the tower.

Ducking down behind a pillar, Reece saw Elizabeth squeezed into an alcove off to the side as an MG turret kicked on and started peppering the tower with heavy rounds. "Can you see any tears close by?!" he called out, leaning out of cover and blasting the automated gun with an electric bolt.

Elizabeth peeked out and managed to catch sight of a shimmer in the air above the police station. "Yes! There's one above the station!" she cried, ducking back as a rocket flew past her hiding place and exploded against the far wall.

Leaning out again, Reece switched Vigors and fired a Possession into the turret. It turned and began shooting the soldiers stationed around the building, but the rocket launchers on top of the station were still a problem. "I'll draw their fire, open the tear while their focused on me." without giving her a chance to argue he bolted from his cover.

The missile arrays immediately began tracking his movements and started raining fire down on to the tower. His shield absorbed most of the splash damage from the explosions as he slid behind another pillar on the other side of the tower.

A flash of light in front of the station filled the air from the tear opening and a floating turret came into existance. The mounted guns opened up, the rounds tearing into the larger turrets which swung around and obliterated it with a salvo of rockets.

A second flash came from the lower platform on the tower across from where the teens were hidden. This time, a stationary rocket turret appeared and picked up where the floating turret left off. Causing a good amount of damage to the closest missile array until it finally shut down.

Watching this from his vantage point, the traveler heard his name called and looked up in time to see an RPG launcher tossed at him. Snatching it from the air, he rolled around the pillar behind him and fired both rockets at the remaining turret on the station. Fire and sparks billowed out of the stationary gun, but it still managed to lock on to its target and fire.

Thinking fast, Reece conjured a fire blast to his hand and threw it right into the incoming missiles path. Destroying it before it could get too close.

"Ammo!" he called over his shoulder. Elizabeth dug through the crate she had found and located another canister for the launcher. Throwing it to her companion while he ejected the spent one and allowing him to slam it home and take aim again. Two more rockets flew from the end and detonated against the rocket turret, the resounding explosion could be heard for several blocks as the array was taken down like its twin.

 _"That's one problem solved."_ Reece thought tossing the spent launcher aside and taking out his burst rifle again. Elizabeth stepped up next to him with sky-hook in hand. "You think they heard us?" she asked.

Down below, the door to the police station burst open and a group of six officers stormed out. Following them was the hulking form of a motorized patriot with its crank gun primed and ready to fire.

"I'm taking that as a yes." said the traveler launching a Possession into the machine and turning it against the police. "Now's our chance to get in, let's go." taking out his own sky-hook, the duo leapt on to the skyway and dropped on to the stations front steps. Ducking aside as the body of a cop riddled with bloody bullet holes flew past them.

Moving around the patriot as it continued to decimate the police around them, they slipped into the impound and sealed the doors. Reece grabbed a nearby flag pole and slipped it through the door handles. "That should keep people out for a little while." he said turning to look at the stations interior.

The tiled floors, barred doorways and statues of decorated soldiers lined the walls and stretched from the floor to the ceiling were clean and nothing seemed out of place. Red strobe lights and an alarm could be heard throughout the building meaning that everyone who was within the building knew that there was a situation.

"If Lin's tools are here, then they must be kept somewhere secure." Elizabeth said as they slowly made their way down the entrance hall.

"Given the size of the machines and the number of tools, I'd bet that they're being kept in either a large safe room or the basement." Reece said switching his burst rifle for his machine gun as they passed through the security gate at the end. Approaching a door under the large seal of Columbia's Authority.

Stepping up to the entrance, the traveler pressed his ear to the door and listened.

Movement was heard on the other side. Boots running across the floor and stopping suddently. Feint talking and the sound of weapons being loaded. They knew that they were coming.

"They're setting up to ambush us." Reece said leaning back. "Hard to tell how many exactly, but enough to take us down fast if we just go charging in."

"Is there another entrance?" Elizabeth asked looking around.

"Not without going back outside. And most of Comstock's military are probably on the way considering what just happened out there." he replied trying to think of something. But nothing would come to him. They were working with borrowed time which was slowly running out the longer they stood around.

Lifting up his weapon, Reece made sure the clip was full before looking to his charge. "We're going to have to go in there. We don't have the time to try and find another way." The young woman looked tense, he gave her a reassuring smile and grabbed the door handle. "Just stay behind me, when we get in there look for cover and stay hidden until it's safe."

Despite her growing anxiety about the situation, Elizabeth nodded and got behind her companion. After taking a few deep breaths, he pushed the door open. Machine gun up as they entered the central part of the station.

The moment the door was opened, five cops spread out through the atrium leaned out of cover and opened fire. Reece's shield flared, deflecting the rounds as he opened fire on the hostiles before him. Elizabeth opened a tear in front of them revealing a metal wall that was wide enough to provide them both with cover.

Taking down three of the cops, Reece dropped behind the wall to reload as rounds pinged off of the other side. Fresh round in place, the teen jumped up and sprayed bullets into the front desk at the end of the room. Tearing through the wood and glass and into the officers on the other side before they could get down.

Two more cops came out of a nearby office on their right with guns drawn. Elizabeth screamed in surprise as her companion spun and launched a fire grenade at the two men and sent them hurling back into the room, their bodies on fire as their dying screams filled the atrium.

The sounds of more boots hitting the floor rang out as more officers came out of the offices on the level above. Guns aimed down to the ground floor as they opened fire on the duo. Reece grabbed Elizabeth and pulled her over to the flight of stairs on their left, backs pressed to the wall as rounds tore up the wood floors and walls.

Reece followed the wall, keeping his back to it so nothing could surprise him as he went around the corner on the stairs' landing. Bringing up his left hand as he felt another power course through it.

He sprinted out of cover and up the rest of the stairs, the cops on the balcony saw him coming and opened fire. But their bullets deflected off of his barrier as he reached their level, firing a shockwave that sent them all into the air and allowing the teen to spray them with bullets.

The bodies of the officers fell to the floor with loud thuds leaving the whole atrium silent.

Elizabeth came up the stairs and stood next to her companion as he reloaded his machine gun. "That seemed a little too simple..." she wondered still feeling a bit uneasy.

"Fink must have sent an APB out about all the Vox prisoners that escaped the theater. Most of the police in the area are probably out looking for them." said Reece as they began searching the rooms searching for any more hostiles or useful resources.

After finding a few useful supplies, including more ammo they found after breaking into the armory that was close by and _two_ Infusions. One of which was obtained after Reece put two rounds from his hand cannon into the lock of a sealed chest tucked away in a small office. The two teens made their way down to the ground floor and another flight of stairs that took them farther down into the impound.

Entering a small hallway with several iron gates that were wide open leading into a windowed balcony that overlooked a large room. Where all of Chen-Lin's gunsmithing equipment was chained up in the center.

"There they are, the tools!" Elizabeth said in relief.

"Now all we have to do is get them to the Vox, and then we get our airship and get the hell out of here." Reece replied as they began making their way down to the lower level. Taking notice of the open jail cells, some were empty, others had bodies of prisoners that had been executed.

One cell in particular had _**'The Founders will Bleed'**_ written in blood on the wall with the body of a woman slumped on the floor under it.

Fighting down their unease, the duo stood before the large stack of tools and machines that stood almost two stories tall. Reece scratched the back of his head, "Well...we sure as hell aren't carrying all this back. Ideas?" he asked looking at his charge who was biting her lip in thought.

Before she could answer, a sliver of light appeared in the center of the equipment before it expanded into a familiar looking portal. Stretching out around the pile and changing it into something else as they got a view into yet another world.

"Another tear...to another version of this room that doesn't have any tools in it." Elizabeth said looking over the rip in space and time as it snapped closed a moment before opening wide again.

Reece looked hard into the portal, "If the tools aren't in this room within the tear...then they must be-" realization hit them both. "Back at the shop!"

The young woman looked back at the tear and held her hands out, "Reece, if we go into this tear...there's no turning back."

"Are you sure about this, Elizabeth? The last time you opened a tear like this it drained you." he asked concerned.

"I'll be alright. And there's really no other way for us to get these tools where they're needed." she smiled as she gripped the edges of the tear, "Ready?" she asked looking over her shoulder.

The traveler gripped his machine gun a little tighter and gave a nod. Elizabeth strained a little as she began to pull the tear open wider like the one that got them into this reality. The portal opening more and more until she was able to send the edges around the room.

The world around them turning black, white and grey as reality itself shifted. The stack of tools and machines vanished from sight and was replaced with a large rack filled with crates and barrels as everything else around the duo changed and became something else.

Soon the grainy look and tingling feeling faded away as the new dimension came into focus. Elizabeth held her head and swayed a little before Reece's strong arms wrapped around her middle to help stabilize her. "You good?" he asked keeping her up.

"Y-Yeah...it was a bit easier to do this time." she replied managing to stand on her own. Looking around the storage room at all the changes that had been done. "At least that did something."

"Let's get back to Chen-Lin's place and finish our deal." Reece stated while checking his weapon. They made their way back to the stairs when he suddently gripped his head, a sharp ache lancing through his skull out of no where.

"Reece?" Elizabeth asked seeing him in pain.

Shaking his head, her companion felt the ache slowly fade to a dull throb. "I'm fine. Just a headache, let's keep moving." he said as they continued their trek. Reaching the next level and heading for the stairs that would take them back to the atrium.

They barely made it to the middle of the next flight of steps when the whole building shook like a leaf on a tree. "What the hell was that?" Elizabeth asked grabbing on to the railing next to her.

Reece strained his hearing. He picked up gunfire and explosions going on outside the impound. "Sounds like there's a damn war going on out there." he said switching his machine gun for his burst rifle as they entered the atrium. Going past the forms of police officers, moaning in pain as they were forced to relive their deaths that occured in the previous dimension.

"Oh god...like it never was...how is it gone?" groaned one of the men as the teens walked past him and into the entrance hallway. The building shook again, but over the sounds of battle outside the walls they could hear chanting. Dozens of people, perhaps more, saying only one word that spoke volumes.

 **"VOX! VOX! VOX! VOX!"**

Elizabeth looked at Reece in awe, "Can you feel it? Daisy's moved these people! Things CAN change, Reece, and we can be a part of it!" she said feeling the energy in the air.

"As much as I want to, and believe me I want to get back at Fink and Comstock for what they've done to you and others, I think we should stick to getting out of Columbia." Reece said honestly. His green eyes seeing several large mines placed in by the entrance of the impound. "And from where I'm standing, Fitzroy and her forces don't need any extra help."

Reaching the door, they pushed it open and bore witness to a literal war. Comstock's forces were being decimated by the Vox. Some of the Prophet's men being kicked off one of the towers, plummeting to his death as his comrades on the ground were gunned down by the rebel's superior numbers and firepower.

"Comstock say all this trouble, all this strife, is on our heads." Fitzroys voice echoed throughout the area. "Says we're to blame. Says ain't nobody got nothing to complain about and if it's not time for you and yours, why, that's cause you a backslider, and you've fallen into sin..."

Reece raised his rifle and shot a sniper on a nearby building as he tried picking off Vox members in the courtyard. He and Elizabeth took out their sky-hooks and jumped on to the skyway, riding the rails all the way to the other side of the open area and hopping off where they had first come in as the leader of the Vox continued speaking.

"Hmph. Let me tell you about sin. It's a sin that when you turn on your tap and ain't no hot water come out. It's a sin when you work 18 hour days and can't feed your young ones. It's a sin that Comstock sleeps in his mansion on a hill, and you got to make your bed in hay and straw."

"But I'm here to tell you something, brothers and sisters. The biggest sin of all, the mother of all sins, is that we sit back and take it." with that Fitztroy's voice cut off.

 _"Gotta admit, she's got a damn good point."_ Reece thought as he slammed the butt of his rifle into a soldiers face as he attempted to shoot a downed Vox member. Putting a three-round burst into the man's chest to finish him off.

With the street now clear for the moment, the duo followed along the cobblestoned path that would take them back to the gunsmith's shop. Passing through an open expanse with a few carts and man-made gardens.

They were halfway through when they spotted a rebel kneeling by the body of a fallen comrade. He looked up hearing their approach, reaching for his weapon in surprise before he stopped cold. His eyes locking on Reece's face as though he had seen a ghost.

"You...It's you! Reece Vega, the hero of the Vox!" he exclaimed standing up. "I...I have to spread the word! Vega has returned! VEGA HAS RETURNED!" the man ran off yelling at the top of his lungs leaving Reece dumbstruck.

"...just what the fuck was all that about?" he wondered trying to make sense of it all.

"Reece..." he glanced over at Elizabeth and saw her looking at something wide eyed. Following her line of sight, the traveler felt the breathe taken from his lungs like a punch to the stomach.

On the side of a building was a large red poster, the image of a young man with his fist held high in the air as though commanding those before him to follow his lead. But that wasn't what had the teens so stunned.

What left them that way was the fact that the young man in the poster...was Reece. The words next to his image reading clear as day;

 _ **"VEGA! Martyr of the REVOLUTION!"**_

 **A/N: And the plot gets ever more thicker. I had been debating about when and where Booker would make an entrance, and sadly it won't be for some time, though certain rolls he plays in the game will remain the same, for obvious reasons. I'll update again later tonight, given that I was unable to update like I normally do last night.**


	14. Revolution

**A/N: Sorry for the long delay guys, been sick for the last couple of days and been trying to get back on my feet. But I'm back again with some new updates to add.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Bioshock.**

Ever since he first arrived in Columbia, there have been many strange and unbelievable things that left him wondering if the definition of possible and impossible had been switched when he had jumped through time.

Even after meeting Elizabeth and learning about her ability to open tears in the fabric of space and time itself had left him wondering how things like that were even probable.

But at that moment, the traveler felt as though his whole world had been turned on it's head. Looking up at the large poster depicting him as some kind of figure head that had helped spark the Vox's revolution against Comstock and his regime over the floating city.

Elizabeth turned to her companion slowly, almost as stunned as he was as she spoke. "I-In this world...Reece...your a hero. You helped start the Vox's revolution against Comstock."

Reece ran a hand through his hair, his mind turning non-stop trying to comprehend the situation that they were now in. "This...this is just too-" Like a lightning bolt, his head felt as though someone had struck him with a sledgehammer. His rifle clattered to the ground and he fell to his knees; memories flashed before his mind's eye. Images of events that had happened that he had no knowledge of before.

Hands clenching the sides of his head, the traveler felt as though his brain was going to explode from the overload of memories. Some of them not clear enough to understand, but others clear as though they happened moments ago.

"Reece! Reece talk to me!" Elizabeth screamed, kneeling in front of her companion. Worry filling her eyes as he slowly lowered his hands.

"I...I remember." he groaned as the pain slowly began to ebb away. "I led the Vox, I...Slate and I...burned down the Hall of Heros...We executed Comstock's men, those that survived...God...what did I do?"

"Reece...your nose. You're bleeding." Elizabeth said seeing the red fluid dripping down over his upper lip.

Wiping the blood away on the back of his jacket's sleeve, the traveler slowly stood up on shakey legs. "Hard to think...there are two sets of memories in my head of the same place." he said drowsily attempting to take a step and dropping down to a kneeling position when he couldn't stay balanced.

"Reece," Elizabeth held his face in her hands and made him look into her eyes. "Come back to me. We're going to find Daisy Fitzroy, and we're getting on the First Lady." she dragged her thumb over his upper lip and wiped away the last traces of blood from it.

"Then...we're getting out of here." said her companion as the haze finally left his eyes and he was able to hold himself upright again. "Thanks for that, it was hard to focus with all the new memories. What's all that about anyway?" he asked picking his rifle back up as they started moving again.

"In theory...each different world we go to must have a different version of us. And when we jump through the tears we assume their position in that reality. And in doing so, we acquire their memories somehow." the young woman explained while trying to understand it herself.

Reece stopped mid-step as one of the memories he had recieved came to the forefront of his mind. His face paling a little as he realized a horrifing truth. "I think I know why I got the memories." he said getting Elizabeth's attention. "You remember all the men I killed in the last universes? What happened to them when we jumped dimensions?"

After a moment, his charge's eyes widened and her skin paled as well. "Reece...are you saying that-" he nodded grimly.

"Yes. In this universe...I died."

The tense silence that occurred between them ended when they heard a zepplin fly overhead. Looking up, the teens saw the First Lady hover over a few buildings. Without waiting they moved faster down the pathways until they came upon a gathering of people. All of them looking up at the airship as Fitzroy's face appeared in a black and white projection on the side of it.

"Reece Vega died for this day!" her voice boomed from the zepplin. "It was he who spoke with one voice of the people! Now is the time to stand true to his cause. Now is the time for Fink to fall!" The crowd gathered on the streets of Shantytown all roared in approval, really getting behind the Vox's leader and her words.

Reece looked at Elizabeth, both shooting confused glances at each other before turning back to the First Lady. "To the factory! Let the mighty be laid low! For the people, for Reece Vega, and the true voice!" Fitzroy preached as the airship began to ascend higher into the air. "We're going to the factory, and we're not just gonna burn it down! Only way to be sure is to pull it up from the roots!"

Slipping past the crowds, the duo headed back toward the elevator they had used to get to the town in the first place. Stepping on to the lift, Reece hit the button and the doors slid shut before they began rising.

"In this world, you were a martyr." Elizabeth said looking out the main window before turning to him.

"They need a better class of hero. I'm just a kid from Rhoad Island, not some military leader." Reece said leaning against the wall behind him. "I may have a glimps of what the 'other me' had done here, but I'm not _Him_. His choices weren't mine."

Elizabeth nodded, "True. But from what I can understand of the changes that are made around us, they are the choices that you _could have_ made if the situation was different enough."

The traveler ran a hand over his face, his head still feeling as though it were being pressed in on itself but thankfully not debilitating like it had been before. _"Just when I think I begin to understand what's going on, something like this gets chucked at us."_ he thought bitterly. "We still have to get out of here. So let's hope Chen-Lin came through with the guns so we can complete our deal and get out of this place."

"What about all the fighting going on?" asked the young woman.

"This isn't our fight Elizabeth. Even though I can understand where Fitzroy and the Vox are coming from, their methods can at times be just as vicious and immoral as Comstock's men." Reece replied. "Basically...the only difference between Comstock and Fitzroy is how you spell the name."

The elevator stopped in the docking bay that would lead back to the square where the gunsmith's shop was located. They stepped off and saw several rebels running by them out to the docks where another firefight was taking place outside.

Keeping his rifle ready, Reece lead Elizabeth through the station while keeping a look out for hostiles. Stopping by a doorway that had been torn open revealing an empty armory inside. The only thing left in the room was a single bottle on an overturned crate which turned out to be a Vigor.

The teal colored bottle was in the shape of a Ram's skull and had an image of a similar skull with a crack in the center of it on the front of the bottle. Reece picked up the Vigor and saw a small banner on the neck of the container reading _**'Charge'**_. "Wonder what this one does." he said outloud pulling the cork out and taking a long drink from it.

Immediately, his vision hazed as the bottle clattered to the floor. Wind began to gather around the teen's hands and create miniature tornados along his arms; energy channeling along his skin as the new power settled into his being with a final flash.

Shaking himself out of the slight stupor, Reece felt the knowledge of his new power settle in before hefting his rifle and turning to Elizabeth. "Shall we?" he asked motioning to the doorway leading out into the docks.

Stepping out into the open, the teens saw an airship containing a half dozen soldiers fighting for the Prophet was struck with a volley of rockets. One of the engines exploding causing the craft to pitch to the side and fall out of the sky with the men on it screaming in terror as they vanished into the clouds.

Reece raised his rifle and put down two of Comstock's men while Elizabeth opened a tear bringing an automated turret into existance that assisted the Vox in their fight.

Clip now empty, the traveler slipped the rifle on his shoulder and channeled his new power through his body. Wind gathering around his body before he shot off like a bullet, slamming his shoulder into a soldier's chest and sending him crashing through a stack of crates with the speed of a wrecking ball.

"Reece sniper!" Elizabeth screamed as her companion's barrier shattered from the deadly round that impacted against it. The traveler leapt and rolled across the planks under him and behind a metal barrel just as a second round struck the opposite side.

"A little help here!" he called out as the sniper kept him pinned down. His charge shot her hand out and opened another tear on the wall across from the docks. A freight hook appeared with a bright flash. Giving the traveler an opening as he took out his sky-hook and ran for the edge of the platform.

Leaping off and latching on to the hook, feet pressed against the wall as he rebounded off and on to the catwalk that was above the docks. His right foot connecting hard with the surprised sniper's chest and sending him slamming into the wall behind him.

The sniper was disoriented from the sudden attack as he tried to stand. Reece's sky-hook connected hard with the side of his head. His right foot swinging up and striking the opposite side and sending the man spinning off of the raised platform and landing on the docks below head-first causing his neck to snap loudly.

Threat cleared, the traveler hopped back down to the lower level as Elizabeth jogged up to join him. Most of the Vox had already cleared out, all of Comstock's men laid dead around them with only one of two rebels among them proving that the Vox really had more dedication then their cause.

"Gotta give these guys credit," Reece said taking out his burst rifle and reloading a fresh clip. "They're well organized and fight like a force to be reckoned with."

"Being kept under Comstocks thumb for so long, and dealing with prejudice and injustice committed against them must have given them a lot of fuel to fight." said Elizabeth as they headed toward the door leading back toward Lin's shop. "Anger can be a good motivator for a good rebellion."

Passing through the doors, Reece pulled the same lever he had used when they went through the docks the first time. The freight cars blocking their way to the square beginning to move down the tracks.

"Well...I guess we did it." said Elizabeth as they waited for the path to clear. "I don't know if I brought us to a world where the Vox had weapons...or I created one."

"Either way helps in the long run." said her companion as the freight cars finally passed. "Your abilities...it's hard to even comprehend. But what your able to do is something truly amazing." he turned to her, "They say that the greatest power to have is the chance to control time and space itself. And you have the compassion to only use it when you have to, not because others demand it."

A blush dusted the young woman's cheeks. "It's not that amazing." she said brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

Reece smiled, "It's not just the powers either, Elizabeth. Everything happens for a reason, maybe you got these powers to do something important with them. And from what I've seen, they couldn't have been instilled in a better person."

Elizabeth's blush darkened a shade or two as the path before them finally cleared. Hearing a gun battle going on, on the other side, Reece raised his rifle and kicked the doors open. Snapping the sight to his eye as he put three rounds through a man's head on the porch across from where they were coming out.

Down below in the courtyard, two Vox members were convulsing as a Shocker hit them with powerful electric bolts. The traveler reaimed and squeezed the trigger several times, the electric-man shook with each round that pierced him before falling to the ground. The rebels dropped to their knees finally free from the attack as blood pooled around their assailant.

An automated turret kicked on at the other end of the square forcing everyone into cover as it sent rounds everywhere. Reece stood out of cover and sent a combination of fire blasts and electric bolts until the gun exploded in a shower of fire and salvage.

The rebels that survived the attack were looking at him in slight awe, whether out of hero worship because the way the Vox looked to him in this world or with how he handled himself in a fight he didn't care as he and Elizabeth walked around the clocktower and toward Lin's shop.

Both teens froze seeing the doors leading inside wide open and no sounds coming from within. "Oh no..." Reece mumbled taking out his hand cannon and running up the steps two at a time, the sight that greeted him killed what hope he had.

Chen and Sarah Lin laid dead in a pool of blood in the middle of the shop, the doors leading farther into the building barricaded by debris from around the place. The traveler lowered his weapon and turned away.

Elizabeth came in a moment later and gasped, covering her mouth in horror. "No...no, this...this isn't what I meant to have happen." she said with tears cascading down her face.

"Elizabeth-" Reece tried reaching for her.

She spun out of his reach and glared at him, "They're dead, Reece! They're DEAD! I thought opening that tear would help things! It just made things worse! This is the curse of what I can do...It's just wish fulfillment." She shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself. "It's all my fault...I...I didn't want..."

Reece grabbed her shoulders and made her look up at him, "Elizabeth! This isn't your fault!" He shouted making her jump. "None of this is. Only thing you did was open the door, your not responsible for what the people here have done. YOU didn't kill them. Given what we've seen either side could be responsible for this."

He reached up and stroked her face, wiping the last treds of her tears away. "I've got enough blood on my hands from this place. And I'll make damn sure that not a drop will touch yours. I'm barely keeping the guilt and regret in for what I've had to do, I won't let you go through that." he promised.

Elizabeth's eyes shined from unshed tears, reaching her own hands up and touching Reece's as her face was cradled gently between them. "Reece..I..."

"We're getting out of here. We'll head to the factory and get our airship from Fitzroy. Enough's enough." he said releasing her and taking out his rifle again. Casting one last look at the dead couple before leading his charge out of the shop and toward a large set of doors across from it that would lead them to the factory.

The rebels burned their ways through the lock opening the way and charging in guns ready. The duo followed behind and found the large room beyond in flames around the outside. Staying in the center of the room away from the blaze as they approached the next door.

"Brothers and sisters, I wish to speak plainly to ya." Daisy's voice echoed over the PA system. "When you look at yourself, you see a face of a person, yes? A human being. But do you know what Fink sees? He sees livestock. He sees the nag that pulls his plow. The monkey that shovels his coal. If he could feed you hay, he'd feed you hay."

The doors opened and the rebels charged with a battle cry across the small bridge leading to the factory. Turrets outside the building on the other end came to life and opened fire as a handful of soldiers around them got into position.

"If he could bed you down in straw, he'd bed you down in straw. " Fitzroy continued. "And when your arms get frail and your legs grow weak, they'll bleed you dry, boil off your skin and turn you into chop."

Reece raised his hand and fired a Possession into one of the turrets to keep the enemy soldiers pinned down while he looked down sight and put a burst into a man's head when he stood up. Elizabeth opened a tear and bringing forth a crate filled with medical supplies that the Vox dug into when they saw it to help their wounded.

"Patriot!" the young woman shouted seeing the automated president stomping down the steps and opening fire on the rebels.

The traveler fired another Possession into it giving the Vox time to focus on it while it turned on the other side. Bringing it down when its back was turned exposing the gears. The remaining soldiers barely stood a chance against the rebels and the powered teens behind them providing support.

"Now, if you wanna be a mule, well, go on and be my guest. But if you wanna be a PERSON, well...then you best come talk to the Vox."

"Christ, does everyone in this place like hearing the sound of their own voice?" Reece wondered outloud as he popped the lid off of a Salt and drank it fast before sending a Bronco shockwave at the last two soldiers in their way and allowing the Vox to take them down.

More soldiers poured out of the factory to defend. But the resistance was there waiting for them. Another tear was opened thanks to Elizabeth, a rocket turret locked on to the oncoming squad and fired. Reducing Finks guards to burning piles of meat.

"Open that gate and the factory is ours!" one of the Vox shouted as the other cheered before running toward the factory. They all barely made it the rest of the way when loud engines resounded through the sector of the city. From behind the building, a zepplin as big as the First Lady came out into the open.

Reece's eyes narrowed, then snapped open wide when he saw flashes along the airships underbelly and multiple fire balls came screaming toward them. "RUN!" he shouted to everyone as explosions rippled across the bridge, shaking its foundation and sending a couple men flying.

Reece pulled Elizabeth down behind a steel pillar as the structure shook from each explosion. "We need to move! The bridge won't last long with this much fire raining down on it!" he said over the blasts.

Elizabeth peeked out from behind their hiding place in time to see a crate explode from one of the fireballs. The two rebels that were behind it were sent flying over the edge of the bridge and to their deaths in the process. "How? There's too much fire coming down." she said getting back down.

The traveler timed the explosions for a moment before shouldering his rifle. Scooping Elizabeth in his arms as he channeled energy through himself before he launched himself across the crippling bridge leaving a tornado in his wake before coming to a stop safely on the other side.

Behind the wall next to the door leading inside and startling the hell out of the three Vox members that were hunkered down in the same spot. "You! You're-" one of the rebels started after seeing Reece.

"I know who I am." the traveler cut him off setting Elizabeth on the ground. "Why haven't you gone inside yet?" he asked leaning against the wall and looking out at the attacking zepplin.

"No way to open the gates with that airship firing on us!" one of the rebels shouted over the explosions. "If we want any hope at getting in there, that airship has to be taken out!"

Reece looked back out as the zepplin continued its attack. His green eyes locking on a skyway that wound around the bridge and went right past where it was hovering in the air above. Looking over at his charge, he found her crouched down covering her ears from the blasts going on around them.

 _"We won't stand a chance if that thing keeps attacking us. And I can't risk Elizabeth's safety."_ he thought as a serious expression covered his face. _"Only one chance...one option."_

"Alright listen up!" he shouted making the four others perk up. "That airship is coming down, I need you three to keep this girl safe. Do you understand me?!" The rebels looked at one another as he got into one's face. "If you know who I am then you know what I'm about. If ANYONE tries to come at her that isn't me you kill them! Understand?!"

"Y-Yes sir!" the rebel replied standing at attention. The others doing the same snapping salutes at the teen.

Nodding, Reece drew his sky-hook and his hand cannon before rolling his shoulders. "Reece? Reece what are you doing?" Elizabeth asked with a feeling of dread filling her stomach.

Her companion grinned at her, "Something stupid." with that he ran out into the open.

"REECE NO!" the young woman screamed trying to run after him but was held back by one of the rebels.

"Ma'am we can't let you go out there, it's too dangerous!" he said keeping her safely behind the wall. "We'll keep you safe, we all owe Vega our lives. We won't let him down."

The other members of the Vox nodded in agreement as they kept their weapons ready incase more of Fink's men came after them. Elizabeth continued to struggle as she lost sight of Reece. Prayers ringing through her head as she hoped nothing happened to him.

X

He kept moving, his boots hitting the wood under him as he ran full sprint toward the skyway. Fire continuing to rain down around him shaking the bridge and causing it to groan loud from the strain.

Reece leapt from the edge of the platform and latched his sky-hook onto the railing, taking off at max speed to avoid being blown apart in the onslaught. The rails leading him out of the airships range and around a cluster of buildings, through a couple others as the skyway doubled back and had the teen flying past the zepplins left side.

Seeing an opening, Reece slowed his sky-hook down and leapt off. Landing with a roll on the airships wing and shocking the guard that had been standing there. He never got the chance to recover as the teen slammed his gauntleted hand against his head and fired a round into his chest sending him off of the wing completely.

"Alright, I got on the thing. Now what?" Reece thought outloud switching out for his machine gun. A gun turret set up on the outside of the zepplin sprang to life, forcing him into cover behind the propeller. The moment there was a pause in between the rounds fired the teen leapt up and dumped a whole clip into the automation, throwing a fire-grenade in the process destroying the automation.

Dropping down to the outer deck, Reece reloaded his machine gun and pumped a handful of rounds into a guard's chest when he tried firing on him. Crouching low, he approached the opening that lead into the zepplin's interior, weapon ready as he spun in.

Three men saw him and immediately opened fire. His shileld taking most of the damage as he gunned them down before it could break. An electric bolt firing from his palm and stunning a fourth man as he came in from the other side of the outer deck before a the rest of his clip finished him off.

"Protect freedom!" Reece's shield shattered and a round grazed his right leg from a patriot that came online from the back of the room. Leaping over one of the consoles at the bow of the ship, he reloaded his weapon and checked his injury.

It wasn't bad, the round just skimming over his thigh and slicing the skin a little. Not close to the first graze he recieved before and didn't bleed as much. But it burned regardless, thankfully not enough to keep him down.

Gripping the machine gun, he waited for his shield to come back before getting up and spraying rounds everywhere. The two remaining men on the bridge scattered for cover while the patriot continued to fire its crank gun.

Reece held out his hand and threw a Possession into it, making the machine stutter before turning on the men and tearing them to bloody ribbons with the powerful gun.

With the new opporotunity open. The traveler put the machine gun away, drawing his hand cannon again as he ran at the automation as the Possession began to wear off. Leaping up on to its back and firing rounds into the exposes portions of its armor.

The patriot thrashed a little back and forth trying to dislodge the human holding onto it. But Reece held on as tightly as he could so he wasn't thrown into a wall.

Looking at the exposed gears close to him, he saw a chance. Firing one last round before hopping down off the still stuttering machine before drawing his sky-hook again. Revving the device a few times before driving it into the gears.

The hard metal hooks tearing apart the interworkings and causing smoke and sparks to fly out of the automations form. Causing it to jerk widly as it started to lose motor functions.

When the hooks tore through completely, the patriot took a shaking step forward before collapsing face forward on to the deck. Offline and no longer a threat.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Reece looked at the machine the patriot had been standing in front of. He recognized an engine when he saw one. And this particular engine was bigger than his 4X4. A system of various cables and conduits all forming together to create a way to keep the zepplin afloat and allow control as it flew.

Giving the engine a good once over, like every other engine he had ever done in the past, he found a way to shut it down. A small cluster of steel cables at the front, all leading to seperate parts of the system keeping the power regulated. "This looks important." the teen said holding up his sky-hook and revving it up.

The hooks spun fast before he slammed them into the cables. Slicing straight through them in a shower of sparks followed quickly by a small explosion. Reece backpeddaled, coughing into his arm as the airship's bridge filled with smoke. Red warning lights and alarms rang out around him as the vessel began to groan and lose altitude.

"Oh SHIT!" the teen shouted before making a b-line for the nearest exit. "Note to self, don't take down a zepplin when you're still in it!" He stood at the doorway looking out at the open air. The bridge below was coming up fast, and so was the skyway he used to get up here in the first place.

Bracing himself, the traveler threw himself out the opening. Sky-hook leading the way as he attached it to the rails and rode them away from the doomed zepplin. Jumping off and hitting the bridge hard, the pain in his leg flaring up a little making him grunt as he got to his feet and saw the doomed airship pitch to the right.

The front end scraping the side of a couple buildings, the interior ablaze and spreading fast as it completely lost power and dropped into the clouds. Leaving a trail of black smoke in its wake.

There had been silence as he watched the airship, then there were loud cheers roaring through the air. **"VEGA! VEGA! VEGA! VEGA!"** The Vox had seen what he had done and were chanting his name as though he were a king.

"REECE!" spining around, he saw Elizabeth running up to him. A breath of relief coming out seeing that the rebels he left her with did what he had demanded.

"Hay. Sorry about-"

 _'SLAP!'_ Reece recoiled and held his face as his charge looked at him with angry, tear shined eyes. A sob breaking through her lips as she burrowed her face in his chest. "Don't...EVER...do that again." she said into his shirt.

Wrapping his arms around her, her companion nodded into her hair. "Can't promise that, but I'll do what I can." he said honestly.

Elizabeth sighed in return, but smiled. "You have a lot of fans out here." she said as they stepped apart. The rebels all over the place cheering for their 'hero' who was somehow back from the dead.

"So it would seem. Come on, let's find Fitzroy in the factory before they start wanting my autograph." Reece said taking out his burst rifle as they headed up the steps toward the buildings front gates.

The gathered rebels broke the locks and stormed the place in seconds. "The gates are open! NOW LET'S TAKE THEIR HEADS!" one of the men roared as gunfire resounded from within. The duo stuck close together as they stayed a safe distance back from the attacking Vox.

This turned out to be a good thing, the windows on their left shattered as fireballs flew into the entrance room and exploded on the opposite wall. More rebels repelled inside through the openings and followed after their brothers and sisters into the factory. "They're hitting this place hard. Fink doesn't stand a chance." Reece commented as they entered the large atrium.

What little guards that had been stationed within were taken down in moments before the Vox moved on. A couple of them shooting rounds into the florescent sign with Fink's name on it and destroying it before following their comrades.

Keeping to themselves, Reece and Elizabeth went through one of the doors and farther into the atrium. Past the bodies of more guards and a small fire off to the side as they approached the only working elevator.

"Do you think she'll still just hand over the ship?" Elizabeth asked as Reece hit the switch on the wall.

"If she doesn't we'll just have to convince her otherwise. The last thing we need is both sides trying to kill us." said the traveler as the lift began taking them up. Past several floors where Vigors, weapons, patriots, and other devices were being built.

"They're just right for each other, aren't they?" Elizabeth asked all of a sudden. "Fitzroy and Comstock, I mean." she shook her head slowly. "I was...I was so set on getting to Paris. I didn't think that all of this..."

Reece approached her and rubbed her back slowly. "It's still not your fault."

She laughed bitterly, "Even if that was true, I still had a role in this catastrophe. We're not exactly innocent in this-" she was cut off when the lift came to an abrupt stop. The phone in the nearby corner started ringing in the silence.

 _"This looks familiar..."_ Reece thought as he pressed the button on the device. "Hello?" he asked stiffly.

There was slight static on the other end, then a familiar voice resounded through the space. "I watched you die, Reece." said Daisy Fitzroy. "Saw it with my own eyes." her voice sounded distant, unbelieving like she had seen a ghost.

"Fitzroy. Listen, we did what we could for our deal. We're here for the airship." Reece said getting to the point.

"But _my_ Reece Vega died for the Vox Populi. You either an imposter...or a ghost. My Reece Vega was a hero to the cause." the leader continued oblivious to what he said. "A story to tell your children. You...you just complicate the narrative." the line cut out leaving a very unsettling feeling in the air.

"What...do you think she meant?" Elizabeth asked as the lift started again.

Reece pulled the bolt back on his rifle. Chambering a fresh round as he turned to her. "Don't know...but I don't like it."

The elevator rose up one more level and came to a stop. Doors opening revealing Fink's once lavish office. Now nothing but a torn up and ransacked shell of it's former glory depicting the business mogul of Columbia.

Three Vox members were standing around a fallen clock where the bodies of three of Comstock's men laying in a large pool of blood. Each of them having been recently executed by the men now standing over their corpses.

Hearing the lift stop behind them, the rebels turned and faced the new arrivals just as the PA system kicked on. "My brothers and sisters...there is an imposter in our midst! A lone man smearing the image and good name of Reece Vega! We cannot let such a travesty go unpunished. This snake must be dealt with, so that the name of our cause's hero will no longer be tainted!" FItzroy's voice rang out like a dark shadow that filled every corner of the factory.

The three rebels looked from the closest speaker to the teens, hands gripping their weapons tighter as they leered at Reece who felt all of his nerves go on high alert. _"You can't be FUCKING serious!"_ he thought getting ready to fight.

"Find this snake, kill him in the name of the Vox! Kill him in the name of our cause! KILL HIM IN THE NAME OF REECE VEGA!" At the words of their leader, the members of the Vox opened fire without thinking twice.

Reece shoved Elizabeth back into the elevator and stood infront of the door. His barrier absorbing the rounds as he fired a shockwave from his hand. Suspending the now hostile men in the air and picking them off with quick three-round bursts from his rifle.

Two more rebels ran out from behind the wall in the center of the room and raised their weapons only to be zapped with electric bolts and meet the same fate as their comrades.

"They...They've turned on us." Elizabeth said in disbelief. "I don't understand, this doesn't make any sense at all! They were on our side before!"

Reloading a fresh clip into his rifle, Reece looked down at the bodies of the rebels he had killed and shook his head. "Not anymore. Now they think I'm an imposter of my counterpart in this universe and it's pissing them off. As hard as it is to believe, we're back to being public enemies in this never ending stream of shit." he said pinching the bridge of his nose. "The situation hasn't changed, we still need to get the airship."

"What about Daisy? With what she's said I don't think she'll just hand it over to us now." said Elizabeth.

"We'll worry about that when we find her." replied her companion. "But right now we need to keep moving, from what we've seen the Vox are a lot more vicious than those following Fink and Comstock. We'll need to be more careful from here on out."

Gathering what supplies they could from the dead, the dup began making their way farther into the factory. Elizabeth sticking a little closer to Reece's side as the traveler kept his rifle ready at all times. His eyes hard with focus as he searched for threats.

 _"This day couldn't possibly get any worse..."_

 **A/N: Right when they think things might start working out, the fates have made them their bitch once again. And now all of Columbia is after them with no allies on their side, but if these two are pretty good with anything it's being able to adapt. And they really need that in spades if they want to get through the new obstacles before them.**

 **Update coming soon.**


	15. Fitzroy

**A/N: Sorry about the long wait folks, a lot on my mind and plate as of late and I'm trying to prioritize. But no more interruptions for now.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Bioshock.**

Getting their hands on the First Lady airship was proving to be a lot harder the second time around compared to the first. Though there seemed to be a pattern when it came to their attempts to escape and the seemingly endless supply of people trying to kill them.

With the Vox now turned against them, Reece and Elizabeth didn't have a single ally. They were completely and utterly on their own in a place where everyone wanted them dead and that was something neither of them had anticipated.

Still, the only way out of Columbia was in Daisy Fitzroy's possession. And the teens were ready to go through her forces like they did with Comstock's.

The atrium leading to Fink's offices within the factory was a complete wreck. The bodies of both his personal guard and the Vox scattered around in pools of blood amongst the debris as the duo picked around for any supplies they could use. The constant fighting they had to endure from the police impound to here had drained their supplies a bit and needed to be replenished quickly.

Luckily, there was a large amount of Silver Eagles in the desks around the room and a recently assembled vending machine which provided everything they needed before they had to press on.

 _"I wonder how many men Fitzroy has stationed from here to where she docked the ship."_ Reece wondered checking to make sure all of his weapons were loaded before they started moving.

"Hay Reece, I found something!" Elizabeth called out from the front of the room.

Heading that way, the traveler saw the young woman holding a Vigor bottle. Dark blue in color with the design of an octopus with its tentacles wrapped around it. A single tentacle was curled at the top acting as the cork with the word _**'Undertow'**_ written on the neck.

Pulling the cork off, he took a good smell and gagged. "Jesus...smells like low tide on the jersey shore." he muttered covering his nose.

Elizabeth took a smell and had a smiliar reaction. "You already have a decent amount of powers...don't punish yourself with that nasty bile for the sake of one more." she said wondering how bad the concoction would taste given the smell.

"It could be useful. Besides, it can't be no worse than the others." Steeling himself, Reece held his nose before gulping down the contents. Said fluid almost coming back up since the Vigor tasted like slimy fishwater.

Within seconds his arms started to mutate. The skin bubbling and shifting as golfball sized holes ripped open along the inside and outside of his hands. The holes shuttered and the flesh around them rippled before closing back up. Skin returning to normal as though nothing had happened to it.

With the knowledge of his new powers settling. Reece snapped his hand out and sent a jet of water out of his palm, slamming into a nearby desk and flipping it over as it was sent halfway across the room.

Using the same hand, he concentrated a moment before snapping out again. This time, a stream of water shot through the air wrapping around the dead body of a guard like a boa constrictor and snapping it back so that it hovered in the air before him for a few seconds before being dropped to the ground.

"Creepy as hell...but useful." Reece said as the 'suction cups' covering his hand faded away and he took up his burst rifle. Elizabeth made quick work of the lock sealing the door to Fink's office and they stepped oout into a wide open space on top of a large clock tower.

Cogs, pipes, pendulums and several smaller clocks surrounded them along with a few elevated platforms and a skyway that led around the entire tower.

Wind whiped around them from the elevation as they stepped outside. Reece sweeping left and right with his weapon incase of a trap while Elizabeth tucked herself in his hoodie a little more to fight the chill while keeping her eyes peeled. Walking across the circular platform before them and up a flight of stairs to the center of the structure, the traveler snapped up when he heard his charge scream his name.

Behind the glass window before them, on his hands and knees beneath the many cogs and gears working the tower was Jeremiah Fink. His back to them with his hands clasped before his kneeling form as he begged to someone in the darkness beyond with a little boy kneeling at his side. "No! Stop it! No! No, no, no!"

A gunshot rang out and the mogul's blood splattered the window. The boy ran into the shadows as another form stepped out of them.

Daisy Fitzroy, leader of the Vox Populi, stood over Fink's body coated in his blood. Smoking pistol in her hand as she stepped forward. Wiping the blood from the window before smearing it down her face like tribal markings.

Reece lowered his weapon and held up his hand, "Daisy...I don't want to fight you and yours. There's been to much fighting and death already." his eyes looked down at Fink's body before going back to the dark-skinned woman. "We just want the First Lady, that's it. Nothing else. Like we agreed."

Fitzroy's face was emptionless, her eyes black pits as she leered back at them from behind the blood stained window. "Kill the imposters. Burn their bodies when you're done." she said icily before disappearing back into the darkened room behind her.

"FIREMAN!" Elizabeth shouted. A crimson colored airship flew around the tower before dropping off the armored fire-wielder on to the top. Two other rebels joined him as they opened fire on the teens with complete abandon.

Reece raised his burst rifle and put a three-round brust into the two men before focusing on the bigger threat. Dodging a volley of fireballs thrown his way. "Time to test out the new Vigor." he muttered lashing his hand out. Ensnaring the Fireman with a stream of water and suspending him in the air.

Wasting no time emptying his whole clip into the now up close visor of the armored man. The traveler sent several bolts of electricity into his body to make sure he stayed down.

Two more airships arrived and started off-loading rebels on to the tower making it harder to focus on where to shoot. "Elizabeth! Get to the lower level, we're sitting ducks out here!" he shouted as he began firing on the new arrivals. They backed up to the stairs, Reece putting rounds into anything that got too close or took pot shots at them.

One rebel ran at him with a club and recieved a hard left cross and kicked over the railing before he could recover. Another went after Elizabeth and was sent away courtesy of a shockwave from her companion.

Seeing the number of hostiles growing, Reece quickly formed a plan and sent a jet of water on to the ground in front of him. Making a large puddle before backpeddling to where Elizabeth was taking refuge. "What did you do?" she asked seeing five members of the Vox coming for them.

"Wait for it..." Reece said as he held off till the last minute. When all the men stepped into the puddle he sent an electric bolt into it. Electrocuting them where they stood and taking them out indefinately.

Switching to his machine gun, the traveler sprayed rounds into two more rebels that had been dropped off before they could gain a foot hold. But it seemed the more that was taken out the more showed up. Daisy was pulling out all the stops on this.

His clip ran empty very quickly, forcing him to duck into cover and reload as the rebels continued to fire on their position. Reece poked his head up and sent two Possessions out into the attacking force and immediately caused chaos in their ranks. Giving him and his charge precious time to leap on to the nearby skyway and zip back up to the top level.

"There's too many of them!" Elizabeth exclaimed as a group of three rebels charged them with knives and clubs.

Reece took two down with his machine gun before the clip ran empty. Using the weapon to block the knife-strike aimed for his throat and delivering a hard kick to the man's chest. Knocking him into the wall allowing the teen to send a fireblast into him. "Find a way into the room where Fitzroy's held up! She's the only one that can call them off!" he said back reloading his weapon and switching to his hand cannon.

The heavy rounds tearing through flesh and bone with each shot fired, leaving his other hand free to send out Vigor attacks that kept the Vox from getting to close.

Three more came charging up the nearby ramp weapons spraying bullets everywhere. Reece's shield shattered in moments, be he disregarded it as he channeled energy through his body. Taking off like a blur and slamming into the lead rebel sending him and his friends hurdling over the railing behind them and plummeting to their deaths.

With the last of his powers used up, the traveler went back to using his guns and hand-to-hand tactics to ward off the Vox as they slowly began to box him and Elizabeth in. The young woman in question was doing everything she could to keep him supplied while opening what little tears were located around them.

One such tear was a large tesla core that sent out electric bolts that fried anything that got to close.

"Reece Salt!" he caught the bottle thrown to him and drank it fast. Smashing it off of the face of a rebel that had charged him and sending electricity through his head right after to finish the job. His sheild charging for what felt like the fifth time since this all started.

The Vox's numbers weren't thinning by very much. And they were starting to run out of Salts and ammo. Not to mention the constant fighting had begun to wear on them. Reece was sporting new cuts and bruises and Elizabeth had taken a stray club to the arm which she was now cradling.

Firing everything he had left in his machine gun until it clicked empty. The traveler swung it like a baseball bat into a rebel's face. Snapping his head violently to the side and dropping him like dead weight before throwing several fire-grenades at other hostiles who were shooting at them from behind a few pieces of machinery.

Doing a quick look, Reece saw a platform that overlooked the rest of the tower along the skyway. The Vox were regrouping and he could hear more airships coming so that didn't leave many options open for them. "Elizabeth, get up to that platform up there! I'm right behind you!" he called out taking his hand cannon and blowing a bloody hole through a man's chest.

She was hesitant, but the fight was beginning to get more and more vicious with no end in sight. Taking her sky-hook, while being careful of her bruised arm, she jumped up into the rails and zipped off to the platform her companion pointed out.

Back on the tower. Reece channeled several of his vigors and set up traps incase they were followed. Firing a Bronco shockwave to handle a couple of stragglers before following after his charge. All the while taking shots where he could along the skyway and managing to kill a few more Vox before reaching his destination where two men had Elizabeth cornered.

He lept off, slamming his sky-hook into the side of the head of one man before round house-kicking the other off the platform. "You okay?" he asked the young woman reloading his powerful sidearm.

"Been better." she said rubbing her arm. "What do we do? They have us outnumbered."

Before he could speak, Reece pulled Elizabeth down as a hail of rounds tore at the platform from the tower below. Taking out his burst rifle, he laid on the floor and started sniping the men from their vantage point. "Keep fighing!" he shouted squeezing the trigger again and again.

Heads exploded in showered of pink and red mist with each burst fired. Reloading became robotic like clockwork, Spent clips and shell casings laid on the planks next to the teen as he kept firing. Making sure to take down the ones on the skyway before they could reach where they were holed up.

It felt like an eternity. Reece's whole body ached from the firefight but he didn't have time to grab a health vial from the pack to rejuvinate. So he pressed on...until the number of rebels finally began to let up. There were only a handful or so left now, and it looked like they might have the fight won.

The platform suddently shook, throwing the traveler's aim off and making him roll over a little. His eyes widened and he quickly rolled out of the way as a large, mechanical hand crushed the planks he had been laying on a moment before.

A Handyman, dressed in red garb that made him look like a devil, stood tall. His massive fists clenching and unclenching as he observed his opposition from under the hood of his outfit.

Reece snapped his rifle up and fired several bursts at the large man who raised his hand to deflect most of the rounds peppering his from. "Shit." the teen used his Undertow ability to ensnare the Handyman with water before grabbing Elizabeth and using the skyway to put as much distance between them and the mechanical behemouth as possible.

"I don't have nearly enough ammo to fight this guy, we're gonna need a back up plan." he said loading in one of his last clips and taking down one of the remaining rebels still in the area.

The Handyman slammed into the ground close to them, turning their way as Reece threw several fire-grenades into his chest. Keeping him on the defensive as long as he could while they could come up with something.

Elizabeth scanned everything around them, searching and preying for a tear to appear and give them much needed help before they were crushed by the large man's hands. Her blue eyes locked on to a sliver of light not too far away. A closer look revealed it to be a second testla core like the first one she had opened.

Her brain turned over several ideas until one of them seemed to stick. The core was right next to a railing that looked to be in repair. If they could get him close enough...

"I got it!" she called out running over to the tear. "Get him closer here!" she said preparing to open the tear.

Not having the time to argue, Reece began backing up. The Handyman following him slowly before he began to charge after him on all fours. The traveler stopped next to his charge as she waited for the last possible second and opened the tear.

The large man saw the flash and couldn't stop in time as his mechanical form slammed into the testla core and began to convulse from the discharge.

"We have to knock him over the edge!" Elizabeth explained as the power conduit began to slowly lose juice. Understanding what she was trying to say, Reece postioned himself in the right way and waited. The Handyman convulsed a little longer before his massive hands slammed against the testla core and destroyed it. That one flash was all the signal the teen needed as he channeled all his remaining power into one attack.

Wind whipping around him, Reece launched forward with a powerful Charge. His body slamming into the Handyman with the speed of a ballistic missile, shield shattering on impact from the force as the large hostile was sent skidding back along the wooden planks. Crashing through the partially repaired railing and tumbling over the edge while the teen rebounded off of his mechanical form.

Getting to his feet, the traveler approached the edge of the platform just as a large hand reached up and grasped it. The Handyman clung hard to the edge of the tower, intending on pulling itself back up as it reached with the other hand.

 _"Can't let this thing get back up here."_ Reece thought pulling out his hand cannon and aiming down. Cocking the hammer back before pulling the trigger.

The weapons registration was swallowed by the howling wind around them. But the fist sized hole punched through the Handyman's right eye was hard to miss. The being's mechanical fingers slackened and slowly released the edge of the tower before falling down, disappearing into the clouds until it vanished completely.

Seconds passed, Reece let out a sigh of relief before turning to Elizabeth. "Heh...great plan. Really saved our asses." he said getting a small smiled out of his charge.

"After seeing what you've been able to come up with, I just had to think like you." she replied getting a chuckled out of the traveler.

"True enough. Let's find Fitzroy and get the hell out of here."

After finishing off the only two remaining rebels, and gulping down one of their remaining health vials in their pack, Reece and Elizabeth went back up to where they last saw Fitzroy looking for any sign of the rebel leader.

Approaching one of the other large windows surrounding the central office, the young woman gasped. Running up to the glass and began pounding on it. "No! No, no, no!" she shouted as her fists struck the glass feebily.

Daisy stood on the other side, the small boy that had been next to Fink when he was executed was now in her grasp. Pistol at her side while he struggled against her.

"She's going to kill that child! Reece, we have to do something!" Elizabeth said looking around quickly. "We have to act...we have to get in there!" she ran around him toward a vent next to the window. "Give me a boost up."

"Elizabeth it's dangerous I can't let you do that." Reece said not feeling right about it.

"I wasn't asking Reece." his charge said with hard, determined eyes. "Now are you going to help me or not?"

The traveler knew full well never to talk any woman out of her thoughts when she had _that_ particular look. He knelt down and cupped his hands together, "I'll distract her, get the kid and get out of there." he said seriously as she stepped into his hands and he lifted her up. Pushing the vent open and slipping inside as silently as possible.

Hand cannon still being gripped, Reece walked back to the window in time to see Fitzroy press the barrel of the pistol to the back of the boy's head. "FITZROY STOP!" he shouted pounding loud on the glass causing her to turn. "Is this suppose to be your movement? Shooting innocent children?!"

"This is what needs to be done!" Fitzroy shouted. Spinning herself and the child around to face the teen making him mentally curse. "You see, the Founders ain't nothing but weeds. Cut'em down and they grow back! If you wanna get rid of the weed, you got to pull it up from the root."

The boy struggled against his captor. Her hand clasped over his mouth as the other waved the pistol around before pressing the barrel to the child's head.

"Daisy no! Listen to me! This isn't the way, he's innocent! Killing him will only show the city that the Vox are the monsters Comstock is preaching about! The Vox are better than this! _You're_ better than this!" Reece was damn near pleading. Hoping that the woman saw reason and lowered the gun.

Daisy looked up at him, her eyes tracing his face as her grip on the pistol slackened a little. "You look just like him..." she said forlornly. "Everything like the archangel sent to deliver us from Comstock's lies. To set us free."

Her face morphed into one of fury, "But you not him. You may have his face, his skills and his luck. But you don't possess his drive! _My_ Reece Vega knew what the Vox stood for! What we are fighting for! He knew what needed to be done." She dug the barrel into the boy's head making him whimper. "This is the only way to ensure the root is removed..."

"NO!" Reece raised his hand cannon, preparing to shoot his way through the glass and get inside before it was too late.

Fitzroy went to pull the trigger, but suddently jerked forward. The boy broke from her grip and ran for the window, pressing a few buttons close by causing the barrier to slide open before bolting past the traveler as he stood in shock.

The front of Daisy's white blouse had a red stain over the stomach that quickly began spreading. She collapsed on to her knees as the lights within the room behind her came on. What Reece saw made his heart nearly stop.

There stood Elizabeth, shaking like a leaf on a tree with a sharp pair of scissors in her hand. Coated in blood along with half her forearm.

The leader of the Vox turned around, reaching up and grabbing the young woman by the hoodie as blood flowed freely from her mouth and the gaping wound in her back. Gurgling sounds coming from her throat as she tried to speak before collapsing to the floor. The life completely draining from her where she laid.

Holstering his weapon, Reece stepped slowly into the room. "Elizabeth..." he said gently. She was a white as a sheet, blood staining the front of his hoodie and most of her skirt as she continued shaking.

"I...I guess it runs in the family..." she whispered, not taking eyes off of the body before her.

Reece took another step forward, over Fitzroy's corpse as he drew closer to her. "Elizabeth..." he reached out for her. She jerked her head up and stumbled back, bloody weapon in hand as her companion held his hands up. "Whoa, hey...easy." he approached her as slow as possible. "Take it easy. It's me."

He reached out again when she relaxed, grasping the bloodied scissors and taking them from her and throwing them aside before pulling her into his chest. Her delicate fingers white knuckled as they gripped his jacket like it was a lifeline, her face burrowed in his shirt as strangled sobs came from her throat.

"I...I...I couldn't...she was going to..." she managed to hiccup between sobs.

"Shhh. It's okay, I got you." Reece whispered holding her closer. Offering whatever comfort that he could.

Elizabeth shook her head. "It's not okay!" she screamed into his chest. "Reece...I...I just killed someone! How is that okay?!" Her anguished blue eyes looked up into his torn green ones. "How can you deal with all of...THIS?! All this killing, death and violence. HOW?!" she demanded.

The traveler just looked into her eyes. The once innocent eyes he had met two days ago that were now dimmed because of all the chaos that had happened since her escape. Pleading with him to make sense of what was going on.

He reached up and stroked her cheek. Wiping away some blood that had splattered there as he spoke. "Because I have something important to protect." his voice was as warm and gentle as he could manage. "My doubts, my fears, they don't mean anything if your life is at risk. I made a vow to protect you no matter the cost. And I won't rest until you're safe."

Tears fell down Elizabeth's pale and blood stained cheeks as she pressed her head underneath Reece's chin. The familiar feeling of peace she felt whenever she was close to him washing over her.

Her heart fluttered and her stomach did small flips hearing his words. Even though she felt a sliver of fear wondering how far he would go to protect her, she mostly felt the same familiar feelings from before show themselves yet again. Warmth spreading from her chest into the rest of her body as she felt his arms lock around her form as the shivering slowly calmed, making her feel safe from the world.

The woman she had killed almost forgotten as she lost herself in her protector's embrace.

Reece turned slowly so that his body was blocking Fitzroy's corpse from Elizabeth's view. Scooping the girl up in his arms as he began carrying her out of the room, through a set of large double doors and down a long hallway that lead to where the First Lady was docked.

Craddling her in his arms as he headed forward. A similar feeling going through his own heart as he held Elizabeth close. He meant every word, and his actions spoke miles when it came to how far he would go for her.

Getting back home to his time was important; but at that moment, nothing was more important than the girl in his arms.

X

The First Lady had changed a bit since they first 'acquired it'. It had been turned into a mobile hospital/command center for the Vox. It was pretty simple to tell that Fitzroy had been using the airship to spearhead the rebellion.

Reece took stock of what was scattered around the bridge after making sure all the exits were locked and sealed from anyone that tried to follow them. The ship had needed refueling and thankfully, Daisy had the airship attached to the small refinery located close to the factory's rooftop.

Elizabeth had went into the large suite located right next to the entrance and had locked herself inside. The traveler figured that she needed some time after what had happened.

You can never really prepare on how to deal with your first kill. Reece just got the luck of keeping it all buried inside while continuing to put one foot in front of the other for the sake of his and his charge's survival.

He failed in the promise he had made when they left the gunsmith's shop. She had been forced to kill someone, he hands now had blood on them even though they weren't as staind as his was.

After combing through the ships contents, he walked over and sat down in the chair facing the control panel. Sagging into the cushions as he felt the adrenaline fade out of him. The last firefight had taken a lot out of him, and even the health vial he had taken couldn't replenish all of his lost strength.

Running a hand down his face, Reece saw that the sun was setting over the horizon once more. It was then he realized that he had been awake for two days solid, save for the time he was knocked unconcious. The constant supply of Vigors, health vials, Infusions and his own adrenaline had been keeping him awake all this time.

But he could feel exhaustion slowly creeping along the edged of his conciousness. How much longer could he hold out until his body had, had enough?

He leaned his head back against the head-rest and starred at the ceiling. "God...I know I haven't really been praying much lately. But I could use a little guidence right about now." he sighed. "I've...I've killed so many people in the last 48 hours. Whether for my own preservation or Elizabeth's doesn't change anything, I know. But everything is getting out of control."

Silence was his response, but he kept speaking. "I just need to know...why me? The twins still haven't been forth coming with that information, but I keep getting this feeling. Every time Elizabeth and I jump worlds, almost like I have to do something. Something important. I just don't know what."

A dull thud was heard by the console making the traveler perk up. On the floor close to the ships controls was what looked to be an old recording device. Curious he picked it up and gave it a once over before a tape-label on the top caught his attention. The words. _**'R. Vega'**_ looked back at him stealing his breath.

 _"Wait...it couldn't be."_ he thought reaching out and pressing the play button on the device.

 **"...** _ **cough, cough...**_ **I...didn't think it would end like this."** his own voice, albet a little older and worn came from the small speaker on the device. **"Been thinking about what's happened around here since I arrived. All I wanted to do was go home, see my family again, get back to my life. Instead I got dragged into a war in a place I never knew could exist."**

 **"** _ **cough...**_ **Though I can't find it in myself to regret it. I helped a lot of lives here in Columbia. My one objective turned into an ambition that fueled a revolution. The Vox will be able to take back what Comstock and his lackies have taken from them. Daisy said I must have bedded lady luck at some time in my life, since I seem to come out of very conflict alive while saving many others."**

 **"...but I guess my luck was bound to run out eventually."**

The voice sounded weak, and fading. Reece's other self took a shacky breath before continuing. **"I don't have much time...** _ **cough, cough, cough...**_ **F-Fink managed to get a lucky shot in...and I can't get the bleeding to stop. If someone finds this, get it to Daisy Fitzroy."**

 **"Daisy...you've been a good friend to me. Joining your cause and fighting for the rightous was one of the best decisions I could have made...but I know that it won't stop. Even if Comstock falls, it'll never end. The cycle will keep repeating unless it is stopped at the source."**

 **"You need...to find the root of the problem and tear it out. Elizabeth is the key, she always was. That's why Comstock needs her. It wasn't just for his legacy, it was for his own preservation as well."**

A loud, wet cough ripped through the speaker making the teen wince. **"...E...Elizabeth...if this manages to get to you...I just wanted to say that I'm sorry...I did everything that I could, but I guess it just wasn't enough. I only hope that you can forgive me some day."**

 **"And...I just wanted you to know...I L...uhhhh..."** a soft thud was heard and everything went silent. The recording ended not long after leaving Reece feeling a sense of dread and forboding.

What was his otherself talking about? Cycle? Root of the problem? And how was Elizabeth a 'key' to all of it?

Shaking his head, Reece set the device down and rubbed his eyes. _"As if things couldn't get any more complicated."_ he thought before reaching into his jacket pocket and taking out his IPhone. The power bar read that there was only 21% energy left in the battery, but he paid it no mind as he brought up the picture of himself and his family. Smiling at the frozen image as he heard the door in the back open and footsteps move across the wood floors.

Turning the seat around, the traveler felt his heart nearly stop for the second time that day. But for a completely different reason.

Elizabeth stood there wearing a completely new outfit. A long, dark-blue skirt that connected to a white corset that hugged all the curves of her figure beautifully and making her breasts pop up a little. The look was completed with a dark-blue half-jacket with white wrist cuffs that covered her arms and was left open.

Her once longer hair had been cut short into a pixie-cut giving her a completely different look than what she had before. And Reece had to admit...he _really_ liked it.

"This was all they had." she said tossing away the short ponytail she had cut from her own hair and looking at her companion's awestruck expression. "And your sweater was covered in blood...does it look okay?"

Reece had to shake himself to answer her, "Oh...yeah. You look fantastic. I mean! You look beautiful! I mean...dammit." he muttered getting a light giggle from his charge while she blushed at his compliment.

"Are you okay?" he asked getting over his embarrisment.

Elizabeth sighed, absently rubbing her hand along the sleeve of her new jacket. "A little better, though not by much." she looked out the window at the clouds. "When do we leave?"

"After the ships finished refueling. Shouldn't be too long." he replied before going back to looking at the picture of his family, while doing his best not to ogle the pretty young woman standing close to him.

He felt her move around the chair and look at the screen with him. "You'll see them again." she said softly.

Reece nodded, "I know, this just reminds me of the second thing I'm striving for in all of this." he said smiling.

The young woman smiled back, remembering his words of how the only thing important to him until all this was over was her safety. Her heart warming again in rememberance as they stared into each other's eyes.

A soft click was heard in the quiet room making the teens look down at the phone. They were so lost in each others gaze that Reece accidentally hit the camera button on the screen. The image that popped up was of the two of them looking at one another smiling.

"S-Sorry about that." Reece said leaning his thumb out for the delete button.

Elizabeth's hand reached out and took the device. Looking at the picture of the two of them frozen in time and smiling wider. "I think we can do better." she said before gently sitting on her companion's lap making him turn beet red. "Can you show me how it works?" she asked looking to him.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Reece hit a few buttons on the IPhones screen until the camera feature came on. The lense showing the two of them together on the pilot's chair. After showing her what to do, she moved the device to the right position and smiled after puting her head closer to Reece's.

The couldn't help but smile after seeing her's as one of her delicate fingers tapped the camera on the screen. The digital shutter flashed and reappeared showing the picture taken, and the traveler had to admit that it was a pretty good one.

Looking the image over for a few moments, Elizabeth looked at her companion as she handed the device back. "I think that one is a keeper." she said getting a small laugh out of Reece.

"Indeed it is." he replied putting the phone away before noticing the postion they were in.

While she had been playing with the device, his arms had wound around her waist. Holding her in his lap comfortably.

Elizabeth must have noticed as well from the blush that dusted her cheeks. Her hands coming up to rest gently on Reece's shoulders as she shifted a little. "Reece...I really can't thank you enough for being here with me through all this. You've done so much for me in a short time than others have my whole life. I owe you so much, yet you ask so little."

Reece squeezed her hips lightly, "You don't owe me anything, Elizabeth. When I make a promise, I keep it. I promised you freedom, and god help me your going to be free of this place."

The warmth in her chest turned into a fire. Her heart hammering against her ribcage in a way that was scary and exhilerating. She could feel the same coming from her companion, Their breath coming out slowly as they kept their eyes locked with one another.

Elizabeth's hands slid from his shoulders up to his face, Reece's hand's moving up from her waist to the sides of her stomach on their own as they moved closer together. Eyes sliding closed at their lips were pulled to one another.

 _BUUZZZZ!_ The teens jumped from the sudden noise and saw that the ship had finished refueling.

Looking from the console back to one another, their faces reddened realizing what they were about to do a moment ago. "R-Ready to go?" Reece asked trying to slow his racing heart. Elizabeth nodded not being able to find her voice as they got up from the chair and went about getting the First Lady ready to travel.

Disconnecting the refueling line and punching in the coordinates for Paris like they had before. The large airship pulled away from the factory and began making its way through the buildings around them.

Neither teen looked at each other, embarrisment being the leading cause, but also fear. The two had developed a strong bond over the short time they've been together and it seemed to have reached a boiling point that neither of them could control anymore.

Feeling the need to talk to her about it, Reece turned to his charge. "Elizabeth, I-" A large, flying form zoomed past the front of the airship making his blood run cold. "Oh FUCK!" he shouted as he watched Songbird bank left around a building.

"No, no, no no no no no no no NO!" Elizabeth screamed in terror.

"We need to find a way to make this thing go faster!" Reece shouted as they went at the controls in an attempt to increase speed. Changing course in different ways as they tried to lose their persuer.

"Theres gotta be some sort of..some sort of throttle, or accelerator, or something!" she shouted as the shadow of her captor flew past them again.

Reece kept pulling switches, "Keep looking! We have to get moving before..." he looked out the front window and saw Songbird coming straight at them. "ELIZABETH GET DOWN!"

The bird-creature smashed through the window of the airships bridge. Sending wind and glass showering over them as it knocked both teens on to their backs. Songbird crunched the supports its talons were holding on to as it tried to force its head into the room.

Reece drew his hand cannon and fired rounds into the creature's neck while firing electric bolts at the same time as he felt the ship start to pitch forward. "He's taking us down! Grab on to something!' he called out as the First Lady started rolling. Tossing him and Elizabeth around like rag dolls.

There was a loud crash and everything went black.

 **A/N: Several more twists for the never ending chaos that is the world of Columbia. And with Songbird still hounding them, the chance of escape is looking more an more bleak by the hour, even more so now that the past events are starting to take their toll on Reece and Elizabeth. Though, it also seems to be bringing them closer together as well...**

 **Update coming soon guys.**


	16. Crash Landing

**A/N: It's been far too long since I last updated this story, and I think that it is about time that I came through for those left in the wings for far too long!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Bioshock.**

Pain...that was all that registered in his mind. His whole body ached as though it had been slammed against a wall repeatedly for hours. Not surprising considering what had transpired before hand.

Eyes opening slowly, Reece found himself face down on the floor of the First Lady's bridge with blood flowing freely from a large cut on his forehead. Groaning as he pushed himself up on his arms and rolling over on to his back. A sharp pain in his side made him hiss when he moved.

Reaching his hand up under his jacket, he felt a large chunk of glass sticking out of his right side. "Shit." he cursed pulling his hand away and finding blood coating his palm. Pulling on what strength he could, he rolled on to his uninjured side and moved to a kneeling position.

Doing everything he could to not agitate his injury as he got to his feet, "Elizabeth? Elizabeth where are you?" he called out into the damaged room.

"Over here!" she responded from the back. Reece gritted his teeth as he held his bleeding side and shuffled her way. Finding the young woman trapped under the medical cot that had been set up before the crash. Thankfully, the beds metal frame had shielded her from the rest of the objects that had been thrown around when Songbird brought them down.

Grabbing the edge of the cot, Reece grunted as he tossed it aside and allowing Elizabeth to get up. She looked unharmed, save for a cut on her right cheek and bruises on her right eye and the left side of her neck.

"Anything broken?" the traveler asked, wincing when his side flared up.

"You mean other than our ship?" she asked with a humorless smile. It quickly faded when she saw her companion cluching his side. "Reece? What's wrong?"

He waved her off, "N-Nothing. It's nothing." He stumbled a little forcing Elizabeth to catch him. Her hand making contact with his wound making him hiss.

"Reece! Oh my god!" she gasped seeing her hand covered in his blood. Pulling his jacket to the side and lifting his shirt to see the chunk of glass sticking out. She ran her fingers over it gently making Reece tense up, "We need to remove it, or the bleeding won't stop."

Leaning heavily against an overturned crate, Reece nodded. Taking several deep breaths as his charge began poking and proding at the wound. After a few seconds she seemed to find what she was looking for as she put one hand on the wound itself and the other on the glass shard. Giving him one last glance as she spread the skin open wider, pulling the shard with enough pressure without breaking it.

The traveler gripped the crate he was leaning on, knuckles whitening from the pain as the shard came free. Blood oozing down his side and soaking into his black t-shirt.

Elizabeth moved fast, grabbing a couple of cloths on the floor next to her and pressing them to the wound. Taking her companion's hand and using it to hold it in place as she grabbed another cloth and tore it into long strips, tying them around Reece's torso to hold the make-shift bandage.

"I don't think it punctured anything vital. But we better find a health vial to help." she said making sure everything was in place before helping Reece stand upright.

Before they had a chance to survey the ship, the teens could hear someone playing a tune on a piano outside. "What...is that?" Reece asked stumbling over to the cracked window of the airships bridge.

They had crashed somewhere within the city close to a large cluster of buildings. Down below them was a path leading through a stone archway where an old, grand piano was sitting. With two familiar people sitting by and playing it.

"That's not it." said Robert Lutece as the notes were played.

"It certainly is." replied Rosalind.

Elizabeth listened to the music being made and started to panic. "Reece we have to stop them!" she said running over to the door and trying to force it open.

"No, that's the E." said Robert. "No, it's not. Isn't. ISN'T."

Reece reached Elizabeth and helped her with the door. "We need to hurry! They're going to bring _HIM_ here!" she said as they managed to force the door open. The young woman took off down the pile of debris outside as the twins played more notes. "Stop it! You don't know what you're doing!" she screamed at them.

Rosalind sat at the keys and continued playing until the song she was working on seemed to come out the way they wanted. "Ah, there it is." said Robert smiling.

"No...you've done it now, he's...he's coming back. He's coming back!" Elizabeth exclaimed as Reece managed to limp down to them and stood at her side. Ready to reach for his weapon.

"The notes were correct." said Robert.

"The instrument was not." replied his sister.

"One needs both to get his attention." said Robert.

"But if you know how to sing to him..." Rosalind continued.

"He will take you where you need to go." her brother finished holding our a slip of paper.

Reece took the card and looked at the images printed on it. They looked like blueprints depicting some kind of flute being housed inside a mechanical head. The words in the upper left corner read _**'Songbird Defense System.'**_ Elizabeth looked at the card as well before going back to the twins. "Who are you?" she asked bluntly.

Rosalind brushed her fingers on the piano keys. "We are where we're needed."

"And needed where we are." said Robert.

Getting a good look at the images on the paper, the traveler finally came to a conclusion. "Comstock must use these songs to control Songbird. If that's the case, are there others we can use to make sure he can't control the thing?"

Rosalind mearly shrugged, "Perhaps you should ask the maestro himself."

Looking at Elizabeth who seemed to be on the same page as he was. "So where do we find him..." they turned back to the twins and saw that they were gone. "Of fucking course." he muttered sitting on the now vacant piano bench. "At least they pointed us in the right direction."

"So what do we do?" asked Elizabeth.

"First we're going to scavange what we can from the ship. After that we're going to find someway to keep that bird-bastard off of us so that we can escape." said the traveler pushing himself back up and heading back toward the crashed airship.

X

There had been hardly anything useful during their search. Reece found his burst rifle behind a pile of debris. The barrel bent and the sight crushed leaving it useless. Most of their other supplies had thankfully survived the crash. But after the fight against the Vox back at the factory said supplies had been shortened by a lot.

Elizabeth dug out the last health vial in their pack and made sure Reece drank it so that his wound healed. Though her companion made sure there was a little left so that she could have a decent swig of it herself before they left the downed First Lady.

"We don't have much left." he said packing away what little medical supplies they could locate. "Couple Salts, little bit of food and water. We'll have to either hit up a vending machine or raid a store when we get the chance."

"What do you have left for ammunition?" asked Elizabeth.

Reece took out his hand cannon and popped it open, dumping the rounds into his hand and tossing away the empty casings. "Got four left in the chamber, and eight spares." he said slipping the rounds back in with two others before snapping the weapon shut again. "Better make them count."

They headed back to the archway and pushing the piano out of the way as they got a good look at their new surroundings. The archway opened up revealing a new section of the city. smoke and fires billowing in certain places as the sound of gun battles echoed through the air.

"Over there, in the distance." Reece looked to where his charge was pointing and saw a large structure floating a ways away. Dark clouds and lightning strikes surrounding it like some cliche haunted mansion. "That's Comstock house. If we're going to find him, we should start there."

"What kind of place is that?" asked the traveler as they began making their way down the steps before them.

"From what I could gather...it's an insane asylum." came the reply.

Reece shook his head, _"Of course...this crazy train isn't complete without a damn nut house."_ The teens stepped down into a courtyard where groups of people were attempting to board airships, piles of luggage and belongings were scattered all over as the drivers of the airship tried to coordinate all the people.

"The Vox are coming, we need to leave the dock!" one of the drivers shouted. "We need to push off immediately, the Vox are coming!"

"Where do you think they're going?" asked Elizabeth seeing everyone trying to leave.

"Wherever the Vox aren't. Away from the fighting and chaos." said Reece as they entered 'Prosperity Plaza'. The place silent as a graveyard since everyone had cleared out and are now evacuating.

Moving along the cobblestone path, the duo breathed a sigh of relief when they found a couple of vending machines and began restocking on what they needed. Elizabeth found a Vox's Repeater gun by an overturned garbage can and tossed it to Reece as he found ammo for it in the machine.

New gun in hand, they began to make their way across a bridge connecting to the rest of the plaza. The traveler casting glances at Elizabeth every so often as they approached the building ahead of them. The crash fresh in his mind despite his wounds healing, but the memories of what happened _before_ were just as fresh.

He had to admit that there was an attraction between them. Even throughout all of the fighting and never ending stream of people coming after them, the two seemed to find solace in one another. Her compassionet and innocent nature helped him focus on something other than the next time he would have to kill someone. And she seemed to draw strength from his courage and good heart.

They fit each other perfectly in terms of personality, they leveled each other out and made up what the other lacked. It was his connection that quickly bloomed into something more. But how much more Reece had yet to figure out.

Though he had really wished they hadn't been interrupted, so that they could both figure it out.

Deciding to keep those thoughts to himself for the time being, Reece shook his head and looked at the station ahead of them. Stepping off the bridge and into a small courtyard where more luggage was scattered and a couple of dead bodies laid among them.

"This is horrible..." Elizabeth mumbled seeing the dead civilians. "These people didn't deserve this."

Reece heard a low whistling noise from close by, looking up he felt his stomach drop. "Heads up!" he shouted pulling her down behind a stack of trunks as a couple of small explosives rained down around them.

At the top of the steps infront of the building, a rebel in light body armor stood toting a volley gun. A handful more coming out of the door behind him and beginning to take up positions around the entrance before opening fire on the teens' location.

Standing up, Reece looked down the sights of his new weapon and took aim. The Repeater was almost exactly like the machine gun. Except that it had a drum magazine and fired semi-auto instead of full for accuracy.

Either way, the traveler fired on the Vox, scoring a headshot on one and hitting another in the shoulder before he could drop back down. The rebel with the volley gun fired on them again, destroying one of the trunks in the pile they were behind and sending debris scattering.

Reece snapped his hand out and sent a Possession into the armored man. The deadly grenade launcher was turned against the other rebels. Bodies were sent flying, some in pieces as the explosive rounds detonated.

Seeing more Vox coming from a landing behind them, Elizabeth opened a tear that brought forth a floating turret. The gun immediately opened fire on the incoming hostiles and cut them down before they could get down the steps into the courtyard.

When the hostiles were all down, the man wielding the volley gun turned the weapon on himself. The blast sending bloody body parts flying in all directions as the duo got out of cover and headed for the station's entrance.

Walking up to the door, Reece saw the lock on the handles and gave it a swift kick with no success."Locked." he said stepping back.

"Here, let me try." Elizabeth said approaching the lock and began picking it.

Leaning against the doorframe with his weapon still in hand, the traveler thought back to what they had learned from the twins. "So, what is it about that song that brings Songbird?" he asked keeping his eyes peeled for more rebels.

"It always has. When I was younger, I used to be excited when I heard it." she explained. "He was all I had back then. He fed me. Brought me books. He was...my friend."

Reece could hear the sorrow in her voice while she worked. "What changed?" he couldn't help but ask.

She paused a moment, "When I grew older, I began to hate him. Because he was no longer my friend. He was my warden. He's just Comstock's pet...just like me."

"You're nobodies goddamn pet!" her companion growled with anger burning in his eyes. "Whatever the hell that _thing_ is, if it was your friend it wouldn't have kept you trapped there like that. And you're right about it being the old bastard's pet...that's why were going to find it's leash and make sure it stays in the damn yard like a good 'pet'."

Elizabeth nodded silently as the lock fell away and the door opened. Though, the moment they stepped into the station they wished they didn't.

The main atrium was trashed. A statue of Comstock laid in the middle of the room surrounded by blood and dead bodies of men and women. Getting a closer look, the duo cringed seeing that each corpse had been scalped. The tops of their heads being pinned to a piece of wood set up by the fallen statue with a message in red reading _**'Tell us Prophet. Do you see us coming?'**_

"...that's fucking wrong." Reece said shaking his head at the sight.

Elizabeth covered her mouth with her hand. "Fitzroy really was no better than Comstock...was she?"

"Once people get their blood pumping, it's pretty hard to get it settled again. It's how most revolutions really get their fuel. And it isn't pretty." he replied before leading them around the fallen statue and toward where he hoped the exit was.

"This is on our hands, isn't it?" asked the young woman.

The traveler shook his head, "Like I said before, Elizabeth. We're not responsible for the choices of others. No matter what universe we fall ass-backwards into, all we're responsible for are our own."

After picking through another lock, the teens made their way farther into the eerily silent station.

Reece found something akin to the Vox's version of a shotgun. It only fired one shot before needing to be reloaded, but the payload of the one shot was devistating at close range. This was proven when he fired a testing shot and reduced a nearby crate to burning shards of wood.

He pocketed the boxes of rounds next to it and was now holding the 'Heater' infront as they continued on. Passing by more bodies of people who couldn't escape the Vox's wrath in time.

"Do you have another plan for escape?" Elizabeth wondered as they rounded a corner.

"Still working on it. But there is an abundant supply of airships and zeppelins around here. After we deal with the Songbird issue we'll go from there." replied Reece as he paused at another corner. Pressing his back to the wall and peeking around to see two rebels standing at the far end.

He held up his and with two fingers raised telling his charge that there were two hostiles waiting for them. "Wait here." he stepped out into the hall, wind channeling around his form before he launched forward.

The two rebels never saw him coming as the slammed the one on the right into the wall with a sickening crunch. Reece spun around with his Heater raised and blasted the other man at point blank and reducing him to piles of burning meat. "All clear!" he called down the corridor ejecting the spent shell from the powerful shotgun and loading a new one.

Elizabeth quickly joined him and they stepped back outside into gondola's docking area. A large neon sign flicking on the opposite end blinking _**'Welcome to Emporia'**_ on the other side.

Comstock house was much closer and looked much more ominous than it did before. "That is what I always thought Frankenstein's castle would have looked like..." Reece thought outloud as they made their way along the walkway around the docks.

Elizabeth didn't seem to have heard him, lost in her own thoughts as she spoke. "This prophecy business...you don't think anyone can really see the future, do you?"

"I never had faith in things like that." Reece said honestly. "The future is what we make it and is never set in stone. Seeing what 'might' happen and trying to make things turn out that way could drive someone crazy. Living in the here and now is much easier on your sanity."

The duo perked up when they saw a gondola dock with the station. They crouched down behind a low wall and watched as the transport left of a group of five rebels and a motorized patriot in the form of Abraham Lincoln.

"Reece, two tears. One behind us and one down on the platform on the other side of the gondala." Elizabeth whispered.

The traveler nodded and switched to his Repeater. "Open them and stay low. Let them thin out a bit before we go on the offensive." His charge opened the tear closest to them and unleashed their own motorized patriot into the world. It's crank gun roaring as a hail of bullets began tearing through the Vox before they knew what hit them.

A flash of light signaled the opening of the second tear, an automated turret came online and began peppering the enemy machine with slugs and tearing into the exposed gears while its back was turned.

Reece stood up and began pumping rounds into the rebels as they tried to fight off the other patriot. The last man fell with a hole through his neck as they moved down toward the gondola. "At least we got a ride." he said taking ammo off of the dead.

Elizabeth knelt down next to a dead civilian and flipped them over gently. "Look at this one. Do you think he wanted any part of this?" she asked crossing the man's arms over his chest and closing his eyes.

"I don't think any of them did." said her companion solumnly. "Come on, there's nothing we can do for them." with heavy hearts for all the innocent life lost around them, the teens got on to the gondola and pulled the control lever.

The transport began its journey along the tracks and taking them closer to the asylum. along the way, they passed by a billboard on either side and Reece was a little surprised to see the Lutece twins there, one on either side of the gondola.

"I just realized who those two are." said Elizabeth as the twins as they played baseball. "They...well, at least she...invented the technology that allows the city to float."

"You mean the balloon and jet devices under the islands?" asked her companion. "Was actually pretty curious about that when I first saw it."

"Quantum particles, suspended in space-time at a fixed height." she explained as though it were simple.

Reece stared at her a moment, "...yeah...I'm gonna stick with auto mechanics. Because I barely made heads or tails of that."

Elizabeth shook her head before looking forward again, "But the strange thing is, my books said that they had disappeared several years ago..." they both kind of stopped and stared when they passed another billboard and saw the twins standing there having a conversation while Robert painted his sister.

"I told you they'd come." said Robert Lutece as they watched them pass.

"No you didn't." said Rosalind.

"Right." her brother surrendered. "I was GOING to tell you they'd come."

"But you didn't." said Rosalind.

"But I DON'T." said Robert.

"You sure that's right?" asked his sister.

"I was going to HAVE told you they'd come?" the brother offered.

"No." said Rosalind.

"The subjunctive?" asked Robert.

"That's not the subjunctive." said Rosalind.

"I don't think the syntax has been invented yet." replied her brother.

"Something tells me that they're not exactly what they appear." said Elizabeth as they finally passed the twins.

Reece rolled his shoulders, "I kind of figured that out when I first met them. And after everything I've seen in the last few days...I've learned to stop questioning the impossible." he admitted as the gondola moved along and closed in on its destination.

"Had to have...had...been?" That can't be right." Robert said as they passed another billboard where the two were waltzing.

The traveler rolled his eyes at the antics of the twins as his charge spoke. "They seem to want to help."

"They seem to be out of their damn minds." Reece replied pinching the bridge of his nose. "But I guess any help at all is better than nothing."

"Odd, isn't it." said Rosalind.

"What?" asked her Robert.

"The fact that we sometimes-" his sister started.

"-finish each other's sentences?" finished Robert.

"Exactly." said Rosalind.

"It would be odder if we didn't." came the reply as they continued to dance.

Elizabeth watched them pass by before turning to Reece. "How do you suppose they manage that?"

"Get back to me when the floating city, super powers, and supposed future seeing senor citizens start making sense." said the traveler as the transport docked into 'Grand Central Depot' Reece pulled out his Heater and quickly scanned the depot. Finding it clear, he lead Elizabeth up the stairs ahead of them.

Both coming to a stop when they saw a sign depicting a baby with dark brunette hair with the sun shining behind her. The words above and below the image reading, _**"The Seed of the Prophet Shall sit the Throne. And Drown in Flame the Mountains of Man."**_

" 'The seed of the Prophet shall sit the throne.' He was grooming me, wasn't he?" the young woman asked with anger tinting her words.

Her companion nodded, "He was, for whatever crazy ass reason he cooked up."

"Then why lock me up?" she implored.

"Control." Reece said gripping his weapon slightly, "He wanted a legacy, and he was making sure that you followed the path that _he_ set before you. And with what happened with your tower and the fact he's still sending people after you, I think he also had a backup plan to make sure he didn't fail."

His charged looked a little startled, "What...do you think he had planned? To control me I mean?"

"We won't be here to find out if I have anything to say about it." the traveler as they pushed on through the station.

X

The Salty Oyster had once been a very famous resturant and bar on this side of Columbia. Customers coming and going through the depot would stop in for a good time before continuing on their way.

But now it was completely silent. Tables and chairs knocked over with blood splatter and shell casings scattered among shattered bottles of alcohol and cold food from a firefight that had occured long before.

The doors leading into the resturant shuddered a minute and was followed by the sound of metal clanking on the floor outside.

One of the doors opened slowly, the barrel of Reece's Heater leading the way as he and Elizabeth stepped inside. Quickly scanning the barren room before shutting the door behind them and locking the deadbolts behind them. They'd only encountered a handful of rebels after they left the gondola, but when they had seen the abandoned establishment they believed that it was a good place to hole up and catch their breath a minute.

Two men with clubs that had been sitting at the bar stood up and ran at them only to be thrown back by a blast of water. Reece switched the his hand cannon and put the rebels down before they could get up again.

"I'm gonna check the rest of the place, stay here and stay out of sight." he said channeling electricity up his left arm as he thumbed the hammer back on his sidearm. Elizabeth went behind the bar and ducked down as Reece headed to the back.

The small hallway by a vending machine lead to a second bar that had another rebel sitting at it who got to his feet with the new arrival. The teen's hand cannon registered loudly and the man was thrown into the bar before slumping to the ground.

"I still can't get used to this shit." he muttered taking the empty casings from his weapon and loading fresh ones. Thankfully the rest of the resturant was clear of hostiles, the bathrooms looked like hell, and the store rooms that had once been filled with various foods now had crates of valuables that looked to have belonged in peoples' homes.

 _"Vox must have been using this place to store what they managed to steal from the rich people around here."_ Reece thought not finding anything useful except for a handful of Silver Eagles.

Heading back to the main part of the resturant, he found Elizabeth sitting at the bar going through their bag while eating a few snacks she must have found behind the bar. "Place is clear. Guess we can take a breather for a couple minutes." he said slipping behind the bar and pulling out a warm bottle of beer.

"Are you even old enough to drink?" his charged asked after setting the backpack on the floor next to her and raising an eyebrow at him.

Reece shrugged, "Close enough." he said popping the top off and taking a long sip. He cringed and set the bottle on the counter. "Though it tastes like piss on a bad day." Elizabeth giggled.

She calmed after a bit and gave him a look. "How's your side?"

The traveler lifted up his shirt and undid the makeshift bandage she had made for him after the First Lady crashed. His skin had mended itself back together thanks to the health vial he drank, the scar left behind was a good two inches long bright pink but showed signs of fading from the accelerated healing.

"Better. Thanks for that too, by the way. Things keep going like that and I'll really start owing you." he said getting another smile out of her.

"Perhaps...but from what's happened so far I think it's safe to say we're just even." Elizabeth replied.

Reece chuckled as they settled into a comfortable silence. His earlier thoughts about the two of them resurfacing once more and he couldn't help it anymore. "Hay, Elizabeth?" she looked up at him. "I need to ask...about what happened on the ship. You know, before Songbird attacked?"

The young woman's eyes widened and she blushed a light red. "I...um. It...was a spur of the moment thing. You know..." she tried explaining.

"Elizabeth." Reece said standing infront of her and leaning on the bar. "You and I both know that that's a load of bull. There's something there, it's just been simmering under the surface and came to a head when we were back at the factory."

She wouldn't meet his gaze. His hand reached out and gently held hers. "I guess...I guess I'm trying to ask if you felt it too. That I wasn't the only one."

It took a few moments, but her baby-blue eyes met his green ones with an array of emotions behind them. "I...I don't know." she looked down at their joined hands and pulled away slowly. "Reece, even if there was something there, it won't last."

Reece stayed silent as she took a slow breath. "You're from another time, you'll have to return to your home eventually. You have family, a life away from this place in the future." Elizabeth ran her fingers through her now shorter hair slowly. "I just...I don't know." the confusion on her face was clear as day.

Taking a deep breath, the traveler knew that this could have been one of the responses that she would give him. She'd been isolated from regular human contact, even if she could understand what she might be feeling she didn't know how to express it. And the fact that he was a 'man out of time' also put a damper on a possible relationship.

But he could see it in her eyes. Even if she couldn't say it he could read it when she looked at him. There was a connection there, and he knew that it was something special. Even first meeting his ex hadn't been this intense.

However, he hadn't gone to a hostile city and rescued said ex from a tower while fighting _two_ armies to keep her safe like he was Elizabeth.

For the time being though, they needed to focus on their situation. So Reece filed everything in the back of his mind as he nodded to her. "Alright." She looked up at him and he could see sorrow and something else in her eyes that told him she wanted to say something, but was being held back by what could have been doubts and fear. "We'll save this for when we're out of here...okay?" he asked holding his hand out to shake. "Partner?"

Elizabeth smiled and shook his hand. "Okay. Partner."

Reece leaned back and immediately slipped. His right foot catching on a shattered crate and falling to the side and grabbing the underside of the bar for support. His hand coming into contact with what felt like a switch.

A click echoed through the room, and a door over by the wall closest to the bar slowly opened.

Curious, the teens walked over to the newly revealed room and found that it was a secret storage area. Filled with rare aged alcohol, a safe, and a couple piles of pin-up magazines and pictures. And in the center of the table in the middle of the room, was a Vigor bottle. Bright bronze in color with a spartan helmet on the top of the cork.

They checked the room over, finding more Silver Eagles and a whole lot of nothing else. Elizabeth scrunching her nose at the porn magazines scattered around as Reece picked up the Vigor. " 'Return to Sender' huh?" he said pulling the top off and drinking the fluid within.

The feeling that followed was indescribable. Reece felt like his bones themselves were burning all along his arms. Through his hazy vision he saw his skin melting from his hands and arms, his bleach-white bones exposed as they were covered in something akin to liquid metal.

A flash revealed his hands back to the way they were as the new power settled into his being.

The door to the Salty Oyster blew open. Six Vox members stormed the resturant, guns all aimed at the secret room as the teens spun around. "Kill them!" the one in the lead shouted as they opened fire.

Time slowed to a crawl. Reece pulled Elizabeth behind him and held out his left palm. Warm energy coursing through him and projecting infront of him. The rounds fired from the rebels were stopped in mid-air by an unseen force, a second later each bullet was sucked toward the teen's palm where a ball of red energy began to gather.

The metal molding together in the center of the energy ball and began to steadily grow larger with each bullet that had been stopped.

When the rebels stopped firing, all they could do was stare at what was happening before them. The traveler held the glowing ball in his palm and felt the energy within it pulsing, "Here CATCH!" he pulled his arm back and threw the attack with all his strength.

The ball of energy sailed through the air and reached the Vox members, exploding in a bright blast that forced Reece and Elizabeth to cover their eyes. When it all faded and they looked at the outcome, they were shocked to see all six rebels laid dead around the now smoldering doorway.

"Oh...wow." Elizabeth whispered.

Her companion looked at his hand, feeling the same energy channeling in his bones as he smirked. "I think I have a new favorite power."

 **A/N: 'Return to Sender' was always my favorite power, though it had the drawback of draining your energy quickly. But it was a good ability to have in a last ditch effort kind of fight.**

 **Reviews still very much welcome, and an update will be coming within the next day or so.**


	17. Lady Comstock

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bioshock.**

Reece felt as though the Vox were now at a disadvantage.

With all the Vigor powers he was packing he felt almost unstoppable. And his newest power made it so that he and Elizabeth were untouchable. As long as he had a steady stream of Salts to back up his power usage the rebels never stood a chance.

The teens blazed a trail of destruction through the rest of the Vox that were still within the station. They had the numbers and the drive, but Reece had developed a good sense of strategy when it came to getting out of these situations in the last few days.

After expelling half his ammo, four bottles of Salts and opening several tears, the duo reached the end of the station.

 _"I'm_ really _not liking how easily this comes to me."_ Reece thought firing two rounds into the last rebel between them and the exit. Dumping the spent clip from his Repeater and loading a new one as he lead Elizabeth up the steps to the turnstile ahead.

Bodies of Vox and a Fireman laid around the small corridor infront of a department store behind them. Over a dozen more similar bodies and the remains of a patriot in the circular chamber behind them when they passed through.

"These lock when we pass through. We won't be able to return." said Elizabeth as they moved through the turning gate.

"No other way to go but forward." Reece replied as they stood in a check-in/check-out lobby. A few candles burning on the desks as they headed toward the elevator that would take them out of the building. He hit the switch, but nothing happened. "The hell?"

The panel for the lift was different than the others they had used before. This one had a combination lock that kept the door sealed. Punching in a few random numbers, the traveler cursed when he couldn't get the elevator to open up. "It's a simple dual-dial lock. My books said most fools keep the combination no more than twenty feet away." said his charge.

"Then let's see if these morons were dumb enough to keep it close." he said as they began to shuffle through the books and papers on the desks around the room.

Most of the things they found didn't help. just random manifests and old newspapers. Reece had just finished going through a large book when Elizabeth called him over to her side of the room back toward the turnstiles.

She pushed a couple books off of a clipboard, "I think this is it." she said looking at the digits on the paper under them.

"If you don't mind me asking, why are you so knowledgeable with lock-picking and code-breaking?" Reece asked, curious since he first saw her do it.

"When you put a person in a cage, they develop an interest in such things." she replied as they looked over the code.

Her companion nodded, "Guess you're right about that. No one deserves to be locked up like an animal."

Elizabeth reached out and grasped his hand with hers, her thimbal brushing the back of his still bandaged hand. "And I won't be locked up again. Mat-" she stopped cold when they heard the wall next to them moving up into the ceiling.

A bronze statue of Comstock appeared, similar in size and scale to the one that was in the Monument tower. The eyes glowed yellow as a familiar tune began playing from its inner workings. Not a few seconds afterward, the whole station shook when something large had landed on the roof.

Reece pulled Elizabeth down behind the desk, both keeping as quiet as possible as they heard the tell-tale call of Songbird as he began searching for them.

Another crash was heard and small chunks of debris fell down on them. Elizabeth covered her head, pure terror in her eyes at the thought at being captured again as Reece peeked up over the desk they were behind.

Outside the window across from them, a large shadow looked over the glass. Songbird knelt down, its lone working eye peering into the room where the device had signaled for it. The light behind the lens changed from yellow to orange as it forced its head through the window and into the room.

The traveler ducked back down, Elizabeth clinging to his side as an orange spotlight projected around the room from the creature's eye. Searching for them as they stayed out of sight as best they could.

Both teens could hear their hearts pounding in their ears as the orange light scanned over their heads a few moments before vanishing. Reece poked his head up and saw Songbird pull its head out of the shattered window, eye switching back to yellow before giving a flap of its mighty wings and taking off.

The building shook one last time as the tension in the air lifted when the creature disappeared."Holy shit." Reece muttered as they stood up. He turned to his left and saw Elizabeth gone. "Elizabeth?" he looked around and saw her running over to the elevator, punching in the code they had located.

Walking over to join her, "Hey, you-"

"Promise me." she said cutting him off.

"I will stop him." her companion said serious, more than ready to tear Comstock down no matter what was thrown at him..

Elizabeth turned to face him, "No." she said shaking her head slowly with a gente expression. "That is an oath you cannot keep." Her smaller hands grasped his slightly larger left one and raised it to the side of her face. "I want you to promise me...if it comes to it..."

Her face morphed into one of finality, her hands taking his and wrapping it around her slender throat. "You will not let him take me back."

"NO!" Reece ripped his hand away, stepping back as though he had touched a burning skillet. "No fucking way! I've killed too many people already, you will _NOT_ be on that list."

"Being captured is DEATH for me Reece!" Elizabeth screamed back. "I'd rather die on my own terms than let Comstock or anyone else experiment on me again!"

The traveler breathed in and out through his nose. Trying his best to quell the growing anger in his chest. "I'm not making that promise. There's always another way. And to be blunt, Elizabeth? I'd rather kill MYSELF before doing that!"

The two stared at each other in silence, the doors to the elevator slid open with a soft 'ding' snapping them out of it long enough to step inside. The lift beginning to descend after the traveler hit the switch on the wall.

Elizabeth stood at the opposite wall, eyes gazing out the window as they began going down. She heard her companion take a deep breath before moving across the small space to stand behind her. "I know you're scared." he said, all traces of his earlier frusteration now gone. "Things always get worse before they get better. You just need to have a little faith."

"Reece, I do have faith." she said turning to him. "In you, in your promises. But it just seems like no matter how hard we try Comstock finds some way to keep us trapped here. How do you keep faith when the world is against you?"

Reece reached out and touched her face, "Endure. That's all you can do. It's never over until there's nothing left." his thumb dragged softly along her cheek, "I won't let him take you. I've said it before, and I'll keep saying it. Comstock may be persistant, but I'm as stubborn as they come. And he'll find out soon enough just how stubborn I can be."

Elizabeth said nothing. Instead stepping forward and pressing herself into his frame. "I don't want you to die." she mumbled with her cheek against his collarbone. The sound of his heart beating easing her chaotic thoughts.

"I can't promise that I won't, it's an inevitability that can't be avoided." said the traveler. "But this place won't be what takes me. Like I said, I'm stubborn." His charge giggled, easing the air around them just as the sound of an explosion echoed through the lift.

Outside, the elevators window revealed an open docking area that had become a battlefield. Comstocks forces were still fighting the Vox but were losing ground rather quickly from the rebels' numbers.

"The Vox are tearing this place apart." Elizabeth said seeing bullets flying back and forth between the two sides. A rebel troop transport flew overhead raining explosive rounds down below. The prophet's forces returned fire, managing to hit one of the engines and making it pitch hard to the side. One of the rounds going wide...

...and heading straight for them.

They barely had time to brace themselves as the elevator shook from the explosive. Windows shattering and the lift to come to a halt and lean off track. Reece saw a skyway just outside the shattered windows and took out his sky-hook, prompting Elizabeth to do the same as they leapt from the doomed elevator and on to the rails as the lift came loose and fell.

Riding the skyway over the heads of the two forces below, the duo dropped down on to a rooftop along the way and assessed their situation. "I think it's best not to get involved here, let these guys fight and we can slip past them in the confusion." Reece said looking down at the firefight with his Repeater in hand.

Another rebel transport came up and docked with the station, but before anyone could step off to fight a Handyman came down and began tearing the Vox apart.

Desiding to remain out of sight, the teens leapt on to another skyway and hopped off on to a platform leading to a locked gate. Reece pressed himself against a stack of sandbags and kept his eyes locked on the two sides still fighting while Elizabeth worked on the gate.

"Reece, it's open!" she called over before slipping inside.

After making sure no one saw them, he followed after her and made sure the gate was firmly shut. The halls beyond filled with smoke from fires that were set in the stores that lined the walls.

They kept their wits about them as they moved through the darkened halls. The sounds of combat and thunder outside filling the silence as they made it back outside and made their way into the Market District. The whole sector nothing more than a ghost town.

"What a waste. How's the city going to come back from this?" Elizabeth asked as they treaded along the walkway before them.

"Maybe it's better if it doesn't." said Reece as he kept his weapon up and checked every doorway, alley and window along their path. Lightning flashed overhead giving them a little more light in the darkened streets. They passed through another archway like the one at the start of the district in time to see two rebels gun down a bunch of civilians like a firing squad.

Reece leveled his Repeater and emptied half a clip into the men before they knew what was happening. "Patriot!" Elizabeth shouted as a crank gun roared from the top of a small flight of stairs. The automation came down the steps and kept firing while the traveler brought up his hand and created a magnetic shield with his newest power. Absorbing the heavy rounds that struck the barrier and condensing them into a ball of metal and energy in the center of his palm.

When it was strong enough, Reece hurled the ball of energy like a baseball at the patriot and causing an explosion that rocked the machines frame. Sparks and smoke billowing from its body as the teen emptied the rest of his weapons clip into it and took it down completely.

 _"God I'm loving this new power."_ he thought drinking a Salt to replenish his abilities. _"Though...it's pretty rough on my Salt supplies. Better use it sparingly."_

Reloading his weapon, they moved farther into the district. Encountering a handful of rebels that were still prowling around the area. Either for more targets or to steal whatever was valuable neither of them knew which.

They were put down fast before they could regroup as the teens continued on. Past ransacked homes and businesses, some of them burning slowly to the ground with the bodies of those who once inhabited them sprawled out in the silent streets.

A few shops were raided for anything useful, they came away with a little ammo and a few Silver Eagles as they searched for the entrance to Comstock House.

The sounds of combat could be heard off in the distance, but other than that the only thing the two of them heard was the sound of their own footsteps on the path below them bouncing off of the walls.

They had just passed through a small plaza filled with damaged and overturned carts when Reece held his hand up. Pressing their backs to the nearby wall, the traveler peered around the corner and saw three rebels patroling the street. "Got three of them. Can't see a way around them." he said looking around at the environment.

A lot of places for cover, but it went both ways. And the longer they stayed out in the open the more likely it was for reinforcements to show up. He needed a good angle to take them out. Looking up, he saw a couple freight hooks on the sides of the buildings down the street.

Strapping the Repeater across his back, Reece drew his sky-hook and his hand cannon before turning to Elizabeth. "I'll be right back." He held out his arm and activted the device as the magnets help launch him up to the closest hook.

Looking down and seeing that the rebels hadn't notice him yet, he raised the powerful handgun and fired. The round punching a hole through the first man and splattering blood across the pavement. The other two had their weapons up but Reece was already moving.

Leaping to the next freight hook and firing another shot and nearly blowing the second rebel's head off his shoulders.

The last man got into cover and returned fire, the teen's barrier absorbing the rounds as he leapt to the last freight hook which was right above the man's position. Releasing the hooks hold and dropping to the ground and driving the revolving tip of the sky-hook into the man's head and crushing his skull from the impact.

Area now clear, Reece whistled. Signaling Elizabeth as she came down the street and rejoined him. "The asylum shouldn't be too much farther now." she said after they checked around for anything useful and began moving again. The next street they entered was worse than the others had been. The ground had literally caved in revealing open sky beneath the island they were floating on.

A couple of buildings were loose on their foundations and were leaning dangerously over the gaping holes in the ground. "Chirst. How much can these islands take before they fall?" Reece wondered as they treaded more lightly.

"The fact that the foundation itself took damage says that there was heavy fighting around here." said Elizabeth. "But as long as the generators haven't been damaged, and the primary supports remain in tact, we shouldn't have to worry about falling."

They passed another building that looked to just be barely holding on when they caught sight of something. A large hole had been blown through the outer wall exposing the large room inside. And in the center of that room was a tear.

However, it looked different than the ones they encountered before. This one looked like an actual 'rip' in space and time and had a strange red glow around the edges. Music could be heard clearly through the tear that filled the dismal silence.

"That's a tear. But there's something wrong with it." said Elizabeth as they moved in for a closer look. "It looks unstable."

As if to prove her thoughts, the tear flashed a couple of times before vanishing into thin air. "Do tears do that often?" her companion asked.

"Not all of them. From what I can understand, tears appear sporadically from time to time. Some are just more solid than others. That one just happened to be too weak to stay open very long." she explained as they approached the edge of a large hole in the street.

Reece motioned to the edge were there was just enough room for them to go around it if they stood side by side. Moving slowly, they traversed the large hole and made it to the other side where the entrance to a cemetary was set up on their left. "One thing still bugs me." he said while they walked. "Why would Comstock hold himself up in a nut house? You'd think he'd have some kind of base set up with enough armaments to hold off an army."

"Perhaps the asylum is that 'base'." Elizabeth offered. "Who knows what kind of security he might have set up around the place." They made their way across a small bridge and got a good look at this section of the city. The amount of fires and smoke had seemed to have increased. Large red banners billowed in the wind from areas that were most likely under the Vox's control.

"Look at those pennants. Seems like the Vox have chosen their favorite color." said Elizabeth.

"Personally, I prefer blue." the traveler said before glancing up at the asylum in the distance. The ominous structure hovering on its own island and seemed to be the epicenter for the lightning storm that was stretching out above this corner of Columbia.

Through the darkened clouds, Reece could make out a structure that looked like a bridge system connecting the island out there to the one they were on. "I think the path there is over here." he said leading them to the square closeby.

The sign above them read; _**'Z.H. Comstock Victory Square'**_. It was a wide open space with a statue of the Prophet himself wielding a saber in the very center. Behind it, a flight of steps leading up to the entrance building that would lead them to Comstock House.

A statue of Lady Comstock was kneeling on a pedistal in the center of the stairs facing the building and seemed to be untouched with bodies of both police officers and rebels laid scattered along the stairs.

"Beyond that gate lies Comstock House." said Elizabeth as they went up the steps. Approaching the gate where a strange lock sat in the center of it. Resembling an old school version of a palm reader with Comstock's face above it.

They approached the lock and Reece pressed a button as the eyes on the 'face' lit up. "Lady Comstock, how lovely to see you." an automated voice said from the lock. "Wonderful of you to make the journey, especially considering your painful death 19 years ago."

"Lady Comstock?" Reece asked confused.

Elizabeth looked down at her outfit then back at the lock. "The dress...the thing has mistaken me for Lady Comstock." She reached up and placed her hand over the scanner.

A moment later, the lights flashed red. "Your fingerprints do not seem to be your own today, Lady Comstock. Are you unwell?"

"This isn't going to work. We need another idea." said the traveler looking over the gate for any weaknesses.

"Actually...it just might work." Elizabeth said in thought.

"Lady Comstock is dead, Elizabeth. I don't think she's in the state of mind to help us right now." Reece said raising an eyebrow at his charge.

"True...and I think it's time I paid my respects to my 'Mother'." she said walking past her companion and back down the steps where they came from.

Reece was confused a moment before the full force of her words hit him. "Pay your respects to...wait...you can't possibly mean-"

X

"Grave robbing?" he said standing next to Elizabeth in front of the 'Memorial Gardens Cemetary' that they had passed by before. "You sure about this?" he asked as they stepped through the archway and following along the path.

"It's the only way to get through the gate and reach the asylum." said Elizabeth leading the way through the main structure and down into the burial site where all the headstones were set up. "There it is." she said pointing at a crypt at the far end of the grounds that had a large neon sign glowed. _**'Our Lady: In Memoriam.'**_

Two statues of Lady Comstock's likeness were set up on either side of the gate leading into the crypt and seemed to be well kept despite everyone clearing out.

Boots crunching over piles of dead roses, Reece approached the gate and found it sealed tight. Not even a lock on it to allow entry. Elizabeth held her hand out, a flash of light later and a lock appeared on the gate via tear. She then stepped forward and undid the lock and pushed the doors open.

Before them laid Lady Comstock herself. Her corpse inside a reinforced glass coffin wearing a beautiful dress with a bouqet of flowers in her hand. A large painting of her took up the opposite wall with two large torches burning brightly under it adding light to the small room

But what was strange was that she looked exactly the way she did when she died. No decay, no aging, even the flowers looked like they had been picked recently.

"They have her preserved in an airtight chamber." Elizabeth answered the unspoken question. "Her fingerprints will get us into Comstock House."

"I think I should draw the line at desacrating a corpse, Elizabeth." Reece said shaking his head. "There could be another way to get the gate open."

She shot him a look, "If we want to get into the asylum and find a way to get out of here we don't have a lot of options." Approaching the chamber, Elizabeth crossed her arms over her chest. "Hello _mother_. How are you? All locked up in there, huh?" she said bitterly. "Looks like you and I have some common ground."

Reece felt uncomfortable. The way his charge spoke to the dead woman made out to be her mother made a chill go up his back. She was angry. And she had every right to be. Lady Comstock was another person that was a part of Elizabeth's upbringing and she too had bore some of the blame for what happened to her.

"Let me do it." he said approaching the coffin.

"No." Elizabeth said stopping him.

"Elizabeth, let me do it." the traveler pushed. "You're pissed off, I get it. And you have every right to be at this woman as much as her asshole of a husband. Just let me handle this, okay?"

The young woman sighed and took a step back while her companion examined the chamber. _"Christ...how advanced is this universe really? In 2015 most ofl this shit is nothing but a scientist's wet-dream."_ he through feeling around the glass for a release switch or something that would help him open it.

Finding a durable lock on the opposite side, he shouldered his Repeater and took out his hand cannon. "Well...let's say hello." he said pressing the barrel of the weapon against the lock and thumbing the hammer back.

The lights around the room suddently shut off.

Movement could be heard along the walls and ceiling of the crypt, like the stones that made up the structure were shifting and changing shape. A small spotlight came on and illuminated Elizabeth. "You see child?" the aged voice of Zachary Comstock resounded through the small chamber making them tense, "You chose to follow a false shepard, and he has led you astray!"

Lights came on revealing large subwoofers around them. They all kicked on at once and began to pulsate, Elizabeth screamed in pain as the devices began to suck wisps of white energy from her body.

"ELIZABETH!" Reece roared running to her side as she fell to her knees.

"What I do, I do for love! What lion does not cringe to see their cub in pain?" Comstock preached.

"Make it stop Reece! MAKE IT STOP! AHHHHHHHHH!" the young woman screamed as the pain intensified, more of her power being forcibly drained from her.

Reece gritted his teeth, raising his hand cannon and firing rounds into the nearest subwoofer until it exploded. Switching to his Repeater quickly and shooting at another one until the clip ran empty forcing him to reload."COMSTOCK! I SWEAR TO FUCKING GOD I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" he bellowed as another device was destroyed.

The energy stopped being taken from Elizabeth, the devices redirected and shot all the energy they collected straight into Lady Comstock's coffin. "If you won't listen to me, perhaps you will listen to your mother!" Comstock said as the light around the chamber became blinding.

Reece shielded Elizabeth with his body as a blast of power ripped through the room. Blowing the gate behind them open and obliterating the stasis chamber in the crypt. Looking up as the light faded, the traveler felt as though someone had injected ice into his blood.

Hovering above the shattered coffin, was a creature that looked anything but normal. Clearly female in shape, with an ethreal glow about her that was un-natural. Her skin and clothes were dark grey and black, and the shreaded jacket across her shoulders moved about like demonic wings.

Glowing blue-white eyes leered down at them with something resembling hate and malice while hands with claw tipped fingers flexed. She opened her mouth revealing a bright glow similar to her eyes as she let out a sound that could only be described as a shriek of the damned.

Reece held Elizabeth closer, despite his own fear of the creature hovering over them as it shot forward like a bullet. Out the broken gate and outside on the grounds where she vanished.

Heart still beating in his ears, Reece looked down at his charge who looked paler than usual and her breathing was shallow. "Elizabeth? Elizabeth talk to me! Are you okay?" he asked frantically checking her over as her eyes slowly opened.

"I'm...I don't...no...Wh-Where did she go?" she asked weakly.

"She disappeared. You need to rest, whatever the hell those things were they did a real number on you." Reece said concerned as he sat her against the nearby wall gently.

"No! I'm...getting that hand." Elizabeth said trying to stand. "We have to find her."

Reece pushed her back down, " _You're_ not doing anything until you get your strength back. And besides, the woman's a damn ghost. I don't think we can get anything from her to help us now."

"She's not a ghost. Not really." Elizabeth said shaking her head. "Comstock...he...he used me. T-To power that device, he opened some kind of tear."

Whatever else was going to be said was cut off by a bone chilling voice from out in the cemetary. **"Child! Child! You are the lie that spewed from my womb. You are the lie, the lie, the lie!"**

Reece checked the ammo on his weapons before standing, "What are you doing?" his charge asked with worry in her gaze.

"If you're right, and this thing's not really a ghost. Then it can be killed." he said pulling the bolt back on his Repeater and heading for the exit. "Wait here where it's safe. I'll deal with the Casper wannabe." without another word he strode out into the burial grounds.

The ghostly image of Lady Comstock hovered in the middle of the grounds. The glow about her pulsing like the beat of a heart. "Listen lady, we didn't go off and spoil your nap. So don't be chucking venom at us because of the rude wake up." said the traveler keeping his finger on the trigger.

Lady Comstock just floated and stared at him for a few moments. Out of nowhere she sent out another shriek that seemed to shake the very ground he was standing on. White energy lashing out of her body and slithering into the ground as it continued to shake.

There was a pulse in the air, followed by the bodies of once dead soldiers being pulled from the ground glowing just like the one that pulled them up.

The corpses hung in the air for a second before they started twitching. Their eyes snapping open revealing pure glowing white sockets as they were dropped to the ground on their feet, standing upright on their own as they faced the now very shocked teen.

"You can't...be fucking...serious..." he muttered to himself, not believing his eyes as the walking corpses pulled out guns and opened fire.

Reece snapped out of it when he saw his barrier flare to life and raising his weapon. Putting several rounds through each corpse until they both dropped to the ground dead once more. "Reece?! What's going on out there?!" Elizabeth called from inside the crypt.

"This crazy bitch is raising the dead!" he shouted back as the spectre hovered over a group of headstones. More corpses were torn from the ground and reanimated before they went on the attack, forcing the traveler to open fire on them. One of the dead came at him with a rusty knife and was cut down right before the Repeater ran empty.

Lady Comstock flew over the graveyard, shrieking in anger as her summoned minions were cut down one after the other. She swooped down and sent a pulse of energy that stretched across the corpses Reece had just killed.

Reloading his gun, the teen looked up in time to see the walking corpses he just killed rise again and go on the attack. "Fucking HELL!" He roared, putting new bullet holes into the undead soldiers as the apparition began summoning more to fight for her.

 _"This isn't good...I'm gonna run out of ammo if this keeps up!"_ he thought taking several more down before ducking behind a large headstone for cover. Peering over, he saw Lady Comstock hovering within the burial site. "I hope to god Elizabeth was right." He said aiming at the spectre and firing a couple shots.

The rounds found purchase. The creature screamed from the sudden attack and vanished into the air. Reappearing on the balcony overlooking the cemetary.

Surprised that it actually worked, Reece switched back to his hand cannon and charged electricity up his left arm. "Alright then, let's kick this up." Standing, he put a round quickly through the head of the closest corpse. It's head blowing apart but leaving no blood as it fell headless to the ground.

Spinning toward the balcony, he fired a volley of electric bolts that all hit their target. Firing round after round from the powerful sidearm in his other hand as his barrier deflected the oncoming gunfire from the corpses that were still standing.

Lady Comstock screamed and teleported again, this time a few feet away from Reece as he started launching fire blasts and fire-grenades into her. His barrier shattering like magic glass as he fired the remaining round he had into the few corpses around him.

Unlike her minions, the living spirit's body was frail and could only take so much damage. Which must have been the reason why she summoned the dead to fight for her and making Reece fight twice as hard to fight against her.

But even without his barrier, the teen was able to dodge direct attacks from two corpses as they came at him from different sides. Raising his hand cannon, he put a round through the face of the one that got to him first. He spun on the ball of his foot and kicked the damaged club out of the hand of the other.

A jet of water blasted into the corpse's chest right afterward and sent it smashing headfirst through a headstone where it laid on the ground motionless.

Reece's small victory was short lived when a sudden pulse of energy sent him crashing to his back, causing him to drop his hand cannon as he rolled across the ground. The spectre now baring down on him and making the air surrounding them feel ice cold and suffocating.

Powers now empty and unable to reload, he glared up at the creature's glowing eyes. "You know, my grandparents taught me to only fear god should I do something horrible in my life. After everything I've done here...I do fear him a bit."

Lady Comstock growled deep in her throat while the teen reached behind himself and took out the only weapon he still had loaded. "I may fear the almighty...but I sure as shit don't fear _you_." He raised his Heater as the spectre was about to shriek and fired.

The powerful blast hitting her dead center and causing her to burst into a white cloud of energy that quickly turned into a vortex. Reece covered his eyes as the glowing malestrom dissipated into the air before getting to his feet.

"My god..." Reece looked back to the crypt and saw Elizabeth stumbling out. "Just what the hell was that?" he asked walking over and supporting her as she moved.

"I don't know...what am I?" she asked right back not expecting an answer. "It's really hard to describe what's become of her now. I still can't wrap my head around it."

Her companion shook his head, "Christ, is she even alive?" he asked loading a fresh round into his Heater.

"Why do you ask 'what'?" both teens spun around, Reece with his weapon up, only for them to see the Lutece twins standing among the headstones. Both with their feet within seperate graves as they dug the holes deeper.

"When the delicious question is 'when'?" Rosalind asked after her brother.

"The only difference between past and present..." started Robert.

"...is semantics." finished his sister.

"Lives, lived will live."

"Dies, died will die."

"If we could perceive time as it truly was..."

"What reason would grammar professors have to get out of bed?"

"Like us all, Lady Comstock exists ACROSS time..."

"She is both alive and dead."

"She perceives being both."

"She finds this condition...disagreeable."

"Perception without comprehension..."

"...is a dangerous combination."

Reece looked between the two as they kept speaking while digging the graves. "Enough of the riddles, what are you two getting at?" he asked not wanting to deal with their riddles after what had just happened.

"Reece, Look!" Elizabeth said pulling on his jackets sleeve. She pointed at the ground where Lady Comstock had last stood. In the dirt, leading away from the burial site were glowing footprints. Wisps of energy coming off of them making it hard not to take notice.

"She goes to unfinish business." said Rosalind. Making the duo look back at them, lightning flashed overhead illuminating the headstones of the graves they were digging. _**"Lutece"**_ look back at them from each stone.

They were digging their own graves.

"Come on, dead or alive, she's the only one that can get us into Comstock House." Reece said leading Elizabeth out of the cemetary. Keeping an eye on her as her strength returned slowly but surely after her ordeal.

They passed through the main building toward the exit and found the twins standing in the doorway waiting for them. "It's a shame you have need of her to enter Comstock House." said Robert casually.

"Frankly, she doesn't seem all that cooperative." added Rosalind.

"There is a way to bring her to reason." said the brother.

"Three truths you must discover first." said the sister.

"Truths which, in this world, Comstock has destroyed."

"If only one of you had the power to alter time and space."

"That would be a blessing, wouldn't it?"

Lightning flashed and they vanished. Their words still ringing in the teens' ears as they stood still.

"What do you think they meant? About the 'three truths'?" Elizabeth asked.

Her companion looked down at the ground and saw the footprints left behind by Lady Comstock lead straight out of the cemetary and out into the road leading into the market district. "Only one way to find out." he said as they began to follow the trail.


End file.
